Keynote & Panels

UCLA Professor Christopher S. Tang Keynote Address

Supply Chain Management in the ESG Era: The Missing Link
While ESG investing has surged, it faces significant challenges regarding data reliability and "greenwashing". This presentation identifies a critical "missing link" in current ratings: Supply Chain Management. Often, firms appear sustainable by minimizing direct operations while ignoring upstream impacts. Drawing on recent research, I demonstrate that firms voluntarily disclosing emissions often report lower direct (Scope 1) emissions but significantly higher supply chain (Scope 3) emissions. This suggests companies are "outsourcing" pollution rather than reducing it. The talk concludes by outlining the urgent need for transparency and future interdisciplinary research to ensure ESG initiatives drive genuine sustainability.

General Panel Session 1: Building Bridges: Academic-Industry Collaboration for Impactful Research

How can doctoral students design research that is both academically rigorous and socially relevant? 
This panel explores how academic–industry collaboration can enhance both the practical relevance and theoretical contribution of scholarly work. Panelists will share experiences partnering with organizations and communities — through field experiments and other applied research approaches—to address real-world challenges while advancing academic knowledge. 

The discussion will highlight how such partnerships can open new research avenues, provide access to unique data, and strengthen the societal impact of research. Panelists will also reflect on navigating research design constraints, building trust with industry partners, and translating findings into actionable insights for academic and practitioner audiences.