Education and Learning

Imperial Business School welcomes global scholars as new faculty for 2025–26

Shamita Harsh — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 10:33:43 +0000

Imperial Business School welcomes global scholars as new faculty for 2025–26

Shamita Harsh Wed, 20/08/2025 - 10:33

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5 September 2025

Imperial Business School is delighted to announce the new academic, research and teaching staff joining for the 2025–26 academic year, strengthening its global reputation at the intersection of business and technology.

The new colleagues join across all four academic areas — Finance, Management & Entrepreneurship, Analytics & Operations, and Economics & Public Policy — bringing world-class expertise in fields ranging from asset pricing and healthcare innovation to entrepreneurship, diversity and inclusion, and macroeconomic policy.

Finance

Two new assistant professors join the School’s Finance department: Dr. Alireza Aghaee and Dr. Harsha Dutta, alongside Luigi Rizzo who joins as a professor of practice.

Dr. Aghaee, who completed his PhD at Bocconi University, is an empirical researcher with interest in asset pricing and corporate finance. His award-winning work on the “index effect” in the S&P 500 has been recognised with the European Finance Association Doctoral Tutorial Best Paper Prize.

“I am excited to join Imperial’s vibrant research community, where collaboration across disciplines drives innovative thinking in finance. The School’s strong ties to policy and industry provide a unique environment to translate research into real-world impact.”

Alireza Aghaee

Assistant Professor of Finance

Dr. Harsha Dutta, previously at Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, studies the intersection of finance and development, with complementary interests in economic history and political economy. His research has appeared in journals including Science Advances and explores how financial incentives and institutional constraints shape the behaviour of households and firms in developing economies.

“I’m looking forward to working alongside Imperial’s exceptional business scholars. London’s rich historical legacy provides an inspiring environment for uncovering new insights from the past to inform modern financial policies.”

Harsha Dutta

Assistant Professor of Finance

Luigi Rizzo has more than three decades of investment banking experience. He is Vice Chair of Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley, having previously been a partner at Goldman Sachs and Head of Investment Banking for the EMEA region at Bank of America. He is an adjunct professor of business at Columbia Business School and has previously taught mergers and acquisitions as a visiting professor at the Business School. Eager to share practical insights with Imperial ��ý, he is an expert connecting theory to the realities of corporate finance.

“It is a privilege to be part of the Imperial community and help ��ý bridge the gap between theoretical frameworks and the daily realities of global finance.”

Luigi Rizzo

Professor of Practice

Management & Entrepreneurship

The department welcomes three globally recognised scholars, including two full professors, Professor Tobias Kretschmer and Professor Jeffery S. McMullen, as well as Dr. Poornima Luthra as a principal lecturer.

Professor Jeffery S. McMullen, former Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Business Venturing, is internationally recognised for advancing the theory of entrepreneurship and has been honoured with multiple awards, including the Foundational Paper Award from the Academy of Management.

“I am excited to explore the potential of entrepreneurship at a world-class STEM university dedicated to serving humanity and to do so in the middle of one of the most vibrant cities the world has ever known.”

Jeffery S McMullen

Professor of Entrepreneurship

Professor Kretschmer, coming from LMU Munich School of Management, is a leading expert in strategy and organisation design in technology-intensive industries. His work focuses on strategy and organisation design in technology-intensive industries. He currently serves as an associate editor at Strategic Management Journal.

“I’ve been studying new technologies for my entire career. Being at Imperial gives me a chance to learn in depth how these technologies work and to understand the strategic implications of technological change (and vice versa).”

Tobias Kretschmer

Professor of Strategy, Technology & Organisation

Dr. Poornima Luthra is a leading practitioner-academic in talent management and EDI, known for bridging research and practice across Asia and Europe. She is joining from Copenhagen Business School A TEDx speaker and author of multiple acclaimed books, she advises global organisations and was named a Thinkers50 top management thinker and Nordic Blaze Inclusion Trailblazer.

“I am thrilled to join Imperial Business School as it offers a dynamic environment at the forefront of global business education and research. The School’s strong commitment to innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world impact aligns perfectly with my vision for advancing knowledge and nurturing future leaders. I look forward to contributing to its diverse academic community and shaping its continued success.”

Poornima Luthra

Principal Lecturer of People, Culture & Inclusion

Economics & Public Policy

Two early-career scholars are joining this department Dr. Jasmin Moshfegh as Assistant Professor and Dr. Patrick Schneider as Assistant Professor. Ragvir Sabharwal will also be joining the Department as Senior Teaching Fellow from October.

Dr. Moshfegh, who joins from Stanford University, studies the causes and consequences of healthcare innovation, with a focus on information technologies. Her doctoral research, supported by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality, examined how new technologies diffuse through healthcare systems and their impact on health inequality.

“What excites me most about joining Imperial is the opportunity to be part of a department and institution that sits at the intersection of cutting-edge research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world impact. In health economics and public policy, the challenges we face—whether around healthcare access, innovation, or inequality—require perspectives that cut across economics, medicine, technology, and data science. Imperial’s unique ecosystem brings these disciplines together in a way that few other places can.”

Jasmin Moshfegh

Assistant Professor of Economics & Public Policy

Dr. Schneider, who earned his PhD at the London School of Economics, previously worked as an economist at the Bank of England, contributing to debates on Brexit and UK productivity. His work focuses on the distributional effects of macroeconomic policy. with a particular interest in inter-generational conflicts and behavioural biases.

“I’m most excited to work with our ��ý. Understanding economics is essential to functioning in today’s world, and I want to help our ��ý tool up for their futures.”

Patrick Schneider

Assistant Professor of Economics

Analytics & Operations

Joining the department are Dr. Jónas Oddur Jónasson as Associate Professor, Dr. Heeyoung Yoon as Assistant Professor and Angela O'Connell as Senior Teaching Fellow.

Dr. Jónasson, previously at MIT Sloan, specialises in improving healthcare delivery in resource-limited settings. His data-driven models have supported organisations such as the Clinton Health Access Initiative and the London Ambulance Service, and his award-winning research has influenced public health outcomes worldwide.

Dr. Heeyoung Yoon, who completed her PhD at New York University, focuses on prediction bias, consumption experiences and decision-making. Her research investigates why individuals mispredict their consumption patterns and how it affects consumer welfare as well as market outcomes.

“Imperial’s commitment to world-leading research and global impact makes it an inspiring place to be. I’m excited to contribute to and learn from colleagues who are advancing solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our time.”

Heeyoung Yoon

Assistant Professor of Marketing

Angela O'Connell's journey started with a Maths degree at University of Bristol, followed by a CIMA qualification and an MBA at INSEAD. Since then, She’s worked across finance, consulting and marketing in consumer goods companies L’Oreal and P&G , and technology companies, including eight years at Google leading marketing teams across EMEA and more recently scaling teams at high-growth companies like Onfido and Plaid. Outside work, she's learning the trumpet, coaches her daughters' hockey teams, and plays padel.

“What I enjoy most is translating real world business challenges into practical learning experiences, and I’m excited to continue that approach here at Imperial Business School.”

Angela O'Connell

Senior Teaching Fellow

This diverse academic cohort embodies world-leading research, innovative teaching and a strong connection to practice. Their contributions will further strengthen the Business School’s mission to bring business and science together for the benefit of society.

This article was updated on 8 September 2025 to include revised details for Luigi Rizzo; on 9 September 2025 to include information on Angela O'Connell and Ragvir Sabharwal; on 12 September 2025 to reflect Poornima Luthra's correct title and on 3 March 2026 to reflect Patrick Schneider's correct title.

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From corporate finance to healthcare innovation, our new faculty are set to strengthen Imperial’s interdisciplinary edge

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Business School honours exceptional student and alumni impact through Dean’s Community Awards 2025

Shamita Harsh — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 14:07:36 +0000

Business School honours exceptional student and alumni impact through Dean’s Community Awards 2025

Shamita Harsh Thu, 07/08/2025 - 14:07

17 March 2026 News

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15 August 2025

Each year, Imperial Business School celebrates the remarkable ways in which our ��ý and alumni shape our community. Whether it is championing inclusivity or driving social impact and sustainability, they have consistently carved a way to lead by example.

The Dean’s Community Awards honour those who have gone above and beyond to lead, inspire, and pioneer new initiatives that make a difference both within the School and beyond. These awards are an yearly reflection of our community of practice, voted for by our staff and ��ý, recognising the work of ��ý and alumni who excel in extra-curricular activities.

Join us in congratulating winners of Dean’s Community Awards 2025:

Improving Society Award

Mohammad Zaid Abid Dalla, MSc Strategic Marketing, received the Improving Society award for leading impactful community initiatives as VP of Societal Engagement, including the What the Tech?! digital literacy programme and a Christmas dinner for care leavers, both of which fostered social inclusion and student volunteerism.

Dhruv Syam, BSc Economics, Finance & Data Science, received the Improving Society award for revitalising the Effective Altruism Society at Imperial and launching initiatives such as the Intro Fellowship and Impact Research Groups, which promote ethical, evidence-based engagement and empower ��ý to address global challenges.

Mohammad Zaid Abid Dalla

Dhruv Syam

Inclusive Business Award

IB Sunset Festival Student Committee comprising of Edward Lim, Kevin Alvaro Handoko, Zaid Abid Dalla, Omar Elali, Milan Koehler, Zhamilya Mukai, Sumitra Natesan, representing the courses MSc Business Analytics Online, MSc Global Health Management, MSc Strategic Marketing, received the Inclusive Business award for creating and delivering the inaugural IB Sunset Festival, an inclusive, culturally diverse celebration that successfully reimagined the School’s summer event and strengthened community engagement.

Aisha Qadi, MSc Management, received the Inclusive Business award for initiating and organising the School’s first Iftar event, which fostered inclusion, cultural understanding, and community among Muslim and non-Muslim ��ý during Ramadan.

IB Sunset Festival Student Committee

Aisha Qadi

Inspiring Brilliant Minds

Paolo Stagni, MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management, received the award for Inspiring Brilliant Minds for launching Imperial’s first-ever Hult Prize On Campus Competition, mobilising over 100 ��ý and coordinating a major cross-campus event that brought global social entrepreneurship to the heart of the university.

Andrea Martini, MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management, received the award for Inspiring Brilliant Minds for his leadership as Vice President of the Consulting Club, where he organised a diverse programme of events that enhanced student skills, broadened industry perspectives, and fostered meaningful professional connections.

Paolo Stagni

Andrea Martini

Pioneering Practical Solutions

Sameeksha (Sammy) Sahni, Global Online MBA, received the Pioneering Practical Solutions award for launching the Global Coffee Connect initiative in Dubai and hosting online prep sessions that fostered meaningful connections and support among online ��ý, alumni, and peers across programmes and geographies.

Laotan Faji, MSc Business Analytics and Maria Hayek, MSc Economics & Strategy for Business received this award in Pioneering Practical Solutions for organising the largest-ever School Intra-Programme Football Tournament, significantly improving participation, event structure, and promotion to deliver a highly successful and inclusive student experience.

Sameeksha Sahni

Laotan Faji and Maria Hayek

Power of Innovative Thinking

Rhea Khanna, MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management, received the Power of Innovative Thinking award for founding and leading Medora, a venture addressing oral care in dementia through inclusive, user-driven innovation, while also advancing student entrepreneurship and healthcare accessibility through multiple interdisciplinary initiatives.

Lara Biter, MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management, received the Power of Innovative Thinking award for contributions to entrepreneurship, inclusive innovation, and student wellbeing at Imperial, including co-founding Medora, leading national startup initiatives, and advancing accessibility and policy reform through multiple high-impact projects.

Rhea Khanna

Lara Biter

Sustainable Business Thinking

The Analytics for Society 2025 Student Organising Committee: Laotan A Faji, Margaux Drochon, Elena Lickel, Emily Peters, representing the MSc Business Analytics, Full-Time MBA, received the Sustainable Business Thinking award for transforming Analytics for Society into a global, cross-institutional platform by securing strategic partnerships, expanding international reach, and establishing a financially sustainable model that significantly enhanced the competition’s impact and visibility.

Nicolas Muller, Abdul Amin & the Climate Investment Challenge Committee comprising of Arushi Wasan, Ellie Schofield, Jessica Nutt, Alessio Boggio-Chaibi, Ofure Iribhogbe, Shraddha Kalpathi Jaidev and representing the programmes MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance, MSc Finance & Accounting, MSc Global Health Management, MSc Strategic Marketing. The group received the Sustainable Business Thinking award for organising the 2025 Climate Investment Challenge, securing new international funding, expanding global participation, and delivering a high-impact, professionally run competition addressing climate-focused financial innovation.

The Analytics for Society 2025 Student Organising Committee

Nicolas Muller, Abdul Amin & the Climate Investment Challenge Committee

Outstanding Contribution to the Business School

David Driskell and Tatiana Chang, Full-Time MBA, MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance, received the Outstanding Contribution to the Business School award for leading the creation of the School’s first student-authored EQUIS Student Report, coordinating diverse focus groups and delivering a high-quality submission that contributed significantly to the 2025 re-accreditation process.

Joanne Linder, Full-Time MBA 1996, received the Outstanding Contribution to the Business School award for chairing the Alumni Advisory Council for 13 years.

David Driskell and Tatiana Chang

Joanne Linder

Dean’s Community Award for Alumni

Marc Richly, Business Analytics Online (2023), received the Dean’s Community Award for Alumni award for leading the development of a machine learning tool to improve UNICEF India's fundraising effectiveness and for sustained contributions to student initiatives and alumni engagement through the Gandhi Centre for Inclusive Innovation.

Yasmin Baker, Intercalated BSc (2024), received the Dean’s Community Award for Alumni award for setting up a buddy scheme connecting alumni with current ��ý to enhance mentorship and support student wellbeing, and for establishing the non-profit “More than Medics”, supporting medical ��ý to explore careers beyond traditional clinical roles including consulting, medtech and policy.

Marc Richly

Yasmin Baker

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Celebrating the individuals championing diversity, inclusion and community through impactful initiatives and collaborative action.

Main image: IB Sunset Festival Student Committee - Edward Lim, Kevin Alvaro Handoko, Zaid Abid Dalla, Omar Elali, Milan Koehler, Zhamilya Mukai, Sumitra Natesan

4 minute read

IB African Business Careers Club wins prestigious debate at Annual Cambridge Africa Together Conference

Shamita Harsh — Wed, 28 May 2025 14:19:56 +0000

IB African Business Careers Club wins prestigious debate at Annual Cambridge Africa Together Conference

Shamita Harsh Wed, 28/05/2025 - 14:19

17 March 2026 News

“Markets are really sociology with bond maths,” says London Stock Exchange CEO at Imperial Business School

16 March 2026 News

Imperial’s Global Online MBA ranks first in the world for alumni salaries

12 March 2026 News

What does it take to lead responsibly in an age shaped by AI?

29 May 2025

The IB African Business Careers Club has claimed a remarkable victory at the 11th Annual Cambridge Africa Together Conference, one of the most influential student-led forums exploring Africa’s evolving global role. Held on 9–10 May 2025, the conference brought over 250 delegates to Cambridge, offering sharp insights into African development beyond traditional narratives.

Competing in the Inter-University Africa Debate, Imperial’s team triumphed over rivals from Cambridge, Oxford, and LSE, arguing the motion: “This House Believes Foreign Investment Is Deepening Inequality and Dependency in Africa.” The motion was rooted in the Ichikowitz Family Foundation's African Youth Survey 2024, which revealed that 72 per cent of African youth believe foreign investors exploit the continent's natural resources for their own benefit.

This year’s theme, "The Flames of the Big Four, Shining with Many More", challenges conventional thinking around African investment patterns. While Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Egypt – the "Big Four" – still attract the lion’s share of foreign direct investment (FDI) and venture capital, the theme spotlights the growing momentum and untapped potential across a broader range of African nations.

Imperial’s winning team included researchers Michel Akylangongo, Ejiro Onwo and Itai Dzinotyiwei alongside debaters Emmanuel Thomas and Maazu Bayuoni, who was also awarded the Best Speaker title. Their victory marks a major moment of recognition for the Club’s commitment to championing rigorous, Africa-focused dialogue on the world stage.

“Our mission as a Careers Club is to foster the collaboration with the robust academic network that Imperial Business School provides. It means a lot to win against some of the best universities in the UK. We debated Oxford earlier this year and lost. This win is a testament to our growth, discipline, and team effort.”
Michel Akylangongo, the Club's president.

The IB African Business Careers Club is a student-led group committed to connecting African ��ý to career opportunities and deeper engagement with the continent’s business and political landscape.

The event was judged by an influential panel that included Botswana’s Vice President, Ndaba Gaolathe; African Union Youth Envoy, Madam Chido Mpemba; and Mr. Ivor Ichikowitz, Chairman of the Ichikowitz Family Foundation.

Maazu Bayuoni, the lead debater, credits their success to a structured, evidence-based strategy. He said, “We focused on building a clear and measurable framework to assess whether FDI leads to inequality and dependency. The idea was to frame the argument intelligently, using a calculated approach we’ve learned at Imperial."

Maazu cited Professor Tim Weiss’ elective “Shaping Frontier Markets” as key to developing his perspective, “The class gave me the analytical lens to ask: who is value being created for, and how is it distributed in emerging markets? My academic learning, practical experience in impact investing, and lived experience on the continent helped our team challenge oversimplified narratives around foreign investment and inequality with a more nuanced, data-driven view.”

“This victory shows that our voices as African ��ý matter,” Michel added.

“It also reflects Imperial’s identity – where science means business – and how we apply intelligent thinking to real-world problems," said Maazu.

The team presented the trophy to Dean Peter Todd, commemorating their win and continuing to raise the profile of African voices within the Business School and beyond.

“It was a pleasure to host the IB African Business Careers Club and congratulate them on nudging out such eminent competition to win the Inter-University Africa Debate. Their trophies are now on proud display in the Business School, having been kindly presented to us by the club members,” the Dean said.

Looking ahead, the team hopes to see more institutional support for student-led initiatives like theirs. “Why can’t we host an African Business Summit right here at Imperial?” Maazu asked. “There are incredibly successful African alumni who could help shape important conversations about frontier markets. Imperial is the future – and we want to be part of how it leads.”

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IB African Business Careers Club claimed top honours at the Cambridge Africa Together Conference, defeating Oxford, Cambridge, and LSE in a landmark debate on foreign investment in Africa.

Main image: Students from IB African Business Careers Club with Dean Peter Todd | Imperial Business School

3 minute read

Imperial’s Global Online MBA ranks first in the world for alumni salaries

Shamita Harsh — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 10:15:24 +0000

Imperial’s Global Online MBA ranks first in the world for alumni salaries

Shamita Harsh Mon, 14/04/2025 - 10:15

17 March 2026 News

“Markets are really sociology with bond maths,” says London Stock Exchange CEO at Imperial Business School

16 March 2026 News

Imperial’s Global Online MBA ranks first in the world for alumni salaries

12 March 2026 News

What does it take to lead responsibly in an age shaped by AI?

16 March 2026

Imperial Business School has once again been recognised as one of the world’s leading providers of online business education, with its Global Online MBA ranked second globally and first in the UK in the latest Financial Times Online MBA Ranking. This year’s result is particularly notable as the ranking has expanded from 15 schools last year to 20 institutions globally.

The programme also rose to first place worldwide for salary three years after graduation, with alumni reporting an average salary of $253,733. The School retained its position as first in the world for international faculty, while the proportion of female ��ý improved significantly, rising to sixth place globally from twelfth last year. Imperial also strengthened its position in the FT’s research ranking, moving up to second place from third.

These indicators reflect the Business School’s commitment to combining rigorous academic research with an inclusive and globally connected learning environment.

The Global Online MBA is designed for ambitious professionals seeking to develop leadership skills while continuing their careers. Delivered part-time through Imperial’s dedicated digital learning platform, the programme blends cutting-edge technology with collaborative, interactive learning.

Within this online environment, a diverse global cohort engages with world-class faculty and industry experts. The platform integrates lectures, discussions, simulations and group projects, encouraging ��ý to challenge established thinking and apply insights to real-world business challenges.

The Financial Times ranking is based largely on alumni outcomes, including salary progression, career development and overall satisfaction with the programme. As a result, the achievements of Imperial’s Global Online MBA reflect not only the strength of the curriculum but also the success of its graduates.

Responses to the FT’s alumni survey highlighted the calibre, career progress and professional impact of Imperial graduates. Their achievements continue to strengthen the programme’s global reputation and reinforce its position among the world’s leading online MBA offerings.

The results demonstrate the value of sustained investment in digital learning innovation. The Global Online MBA represents a key element of Imperial’s strategy to expand access to high-quality business education through flexible, technology-enabled teaching.

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Programme retains UK’s top position and ranks first globally for salary three years after graduation

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Poets&Quants includes Imperial’s MSc in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management in story on business schools to watch in 2025

Evie Burrows-Taylor — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 13:10:13 +0000

Poets&Quants includes Imperial’s MSc in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management in story on business schools to watch in 2025 Evie Burrows-Taylor Mon, 27/01/2025 - 13:10

20 January 2025

Education and Learning

The Times features Imperial’s new Venture Capital Fellowship

Evie Burrows-Taylor — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 12:05:17 +0000

The Times features Imperial’s new Venture Capital Fellowship Evie Burrows-Taylor Mon, 27/01/2025 - 12:05

22 January 2025

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Dr Tim Weiss highly commended in the Financial Times’ Responsible Business Education Awards

Evie Burrows-Taylor — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 11:41:14 +0000

Dr Tim Weiss highly commended in the Financial Times’ Responsible Business Education Awards Evie Burrows-Taylor Mon, 27/01/2025 - 11:41

22 January 2025

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Opinion: “Good science” needs purpose, accountability and an explicit ethical stance

Marisa Miraldo — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:14:02 +0000

Opinion: “Good science” needs purpose, accountability and an explicit ethical stance

Marisa Miraldo Wed, 15/01/2025 - 12:14

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We like to pretend that science is neutral – that our work is insulated from politics, economics and power. But it isn’t. The funding we receive, the methods we choose and, crucially, the questions we ask – and those we never ask – are shaped by funding, performance metrics, history, social norms, and our own biases. To act as if science floats above these forces is not only naïve, it’s irresponsible.

From the 19th century onwards, scientific institutions were deeply entangled with military power, industrial productivity and colonial rule. Funding priorities were set around national prestige and economic gains. Universities adapted by building reward systems around publications, citations, patents and grants. Generations of researchers were trained to see themselves as specialists accountable primarily to peers and promotion committees not to the communities affected by their work. Within this system, a comforting narrative took hold: “I just do the science; what others do with it is not my responsibility.”

Science that harmed

As a professor, I am painfully aware of the historical lessons that demonstrate how damaging scientific work framed as progress can be.

One example is the many leading scientists and physicians who believed they were helping society while promoting eugenics. In practice, it justified forced sterilisation, institutionalisation, and the brutalisation of disabled people, the impoverished, and racialised communities. Meanwhile, the science was wrapped in the language of public good, making it harder to challenge. The echoes of eugenic assumptions that some lives are less desirable persists today, reminding us of the lasting harm scientists can have on society.

Today, algorithmic systems and social media recommendation systems designed to “maximise engagement” have contributed to polarisation, harassment and mental distress. Built by people who may have wanted to “connect the world” or “democratise access” these systems operate in institutional settings that reward growth, not care.

A pattern emerges: decisions are made far from those most affected and the social, historical, and political dimensions of science are often treated as secondary, if they are acknowledged at all.

Ethical science requires governance that travels with the technology – from research question to deployment – and includes the people and communities most affected.

A manifesto for socially responsible science

If good intentions are not enough, what would it take to change? A manifesto is, by definition, unfinished – it is an invitation to collective work. But I would like to start the conversation by setting out some clear commitments.

1. Name the politics of science, openly and early. Make our values explicit in the design, conduct, and communication of research.

2. Redefine excellence. Treat equity, representation, and long-term social and environmental consequences as core criteria of quality.

3. Practice convergence, not siloed brilliance. Treat lived experience, social sciences and the arts as essential intelligence, not decorative.

4. Share power with those most affected. Move beyond token consultation. Communities and groups most affected by research hold real decision-making power over priorities, methods, data governance, and evaluation of impact.

5. Build systematic processes to surface potential harms, including those that fall outside our immediate field of view.

6. Align incentives with responsibility. Push institutions and funders to reward collaborative and justice-oriented science – in hiring, promotion and grant allocation.

7. Refuse institutional silence and require them to align their investments, partnerships, and policies accordingly.

8. Protect dissent and whistleblowing within science to create a culture that produces socially responsible knowledge.

9. Educate for responsibility, not just technique. Embed history, ethics, social theory, and critical reflection into scientific training. Students must learn not just how to generate but how to situate it in the world and be transformational leaders.

10. Hold ourselves accountable. When we invoke “science for humanity,” “precision health,” or “sustainability,” we treat those words as obligations, not slogans. We measure ourselves against the lived experiences of people and ecosystems, not just against citation counts and patents.

How ethical science is embedded in practice

At a time when “science” is simultaneously invoked to defend public policy and attacked as elitist, I believe good science needs purpose, accountability and an explicit ethical stance. These do not sit only in labs and universities: they run through funders, regulators, publishers, governments and yes, businesses that decide what gets built, scaled, and sold.

Initiatives like Imperial’s School of Convergence Science, where I am Co-Director, the Good Science Project, and the “Science for Humanity” strategy, create spaces that prioritise impact and values, question incentives, and redesign how we judge excellence. They will matter insofar as they shift incentives and decision-making: who sits at the table, what counts as excellence, and how harms are identified and acted on.

The question now is whether we are prepared to turn those intentions into structures, commitments, and convergent practices that make responsibility – not just discovery – the organising principle of what counts as excellent science.

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Scientific research needs to extend beyond good intentions. This is my manifesto for socially responsible science – and why it is so desperately needed

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Professor Christopher Tucci on AI, innovation and the next generation of learners

Shamita Harsh — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:14:02 +0000

Professor Christopher Tucci on AI, innovation and the next generation of learners

Shamita Harsh Wed, 15/01/2025 - 12:14

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26 August 2025

Professor Christopher Tucci recently took on the role of Interim Vice-Dean (Education) at Imperial Business School. This will see him focus on pedagogical development and innovation, including leading on how the business school adapts its offer in an increasingly AI-driven world. We spoke to Professor Tucci to find out more about what this involves, and how his experience feeds into the role.

What does your new role as Interim Vice-Dean (Education) involve?

Broadly, the role involves responsibility for all educational programmes at the Business School, including our 18 master’s programmes, four PhD programmes, and current and upcoming bachelor’s programmes.

This includes thinking strategically about the whole portfolio of educational activities to deliver a great experience for ��ý, faculty, and programme managers. For example, we position courses into suites—the MBA suite, the finance suite, the management suite, and the specialised suite. And we’re constantly evaluating how much overlap there is between and within them, and whether our groupings match changes in the real business world.

That requires us to understand changing employer needs, evolving student interests, and shifts in cohort demographics. I know from my experience working on Imperial’s I-X initiative that there’s a rapidly growing interest in digital technologies, especially AI. Employers want people who understand these technologies and the ability to use them, not just as tools to boost productivity, but on a strategic level.

Academics are being squeezed on a number of fronts, so we’re working out how we can automate some of the back-office tasks such as organisation of marking, allocating teaching assistants, and tracking project supervision requests. These are often time-consuming, manual processes that could be simplified, giving academics more time to focus on face-to-face teaching, student support, and research.

I am a big proponent of active learning and project-based learning (for our ��ý) – learning to deal with the ambiguities of what you’re exposed to and trying to solve problems as they come up.

What experience will you bring to the role?

I recently worked at NEOM University (in Saudi Arabia), helping to develop the curriculum for a brand-new institution that hasn’t even opened its doors yet. That gave me the freedom to focus on cutting-edge business needs, thinking about the skills and experience employers want from graduates now and in the future.

Things are very different at an established institution that already has a strong reputation, but the experience gave me valuable insight into some of the less tangible things that are important in the modern business world – soft skills, curiosity, creative mindsets, problem-solving abilities.

I also have industry experience in computer science research, which fuelled my interest in R&D management and innovation management. I think that gives me a lot of empathy for employers, how they think, how they work, and what they want from graduates.

How are you future-proofing ��ý for a world where AI is rendering some jobs obsolete?

We’ve always had job replacement, and we always will – preparing ��ý for this has always been part of our responsibility, and it’s part of my role now. For example, in response to current trends such as AI, we need to ensure that we impart critical thinking skills: how to evaluate and question AI output rather than just relying on it, so it’s a tool ��ý can use to their advantage, rather than something that rivals them.

Along the same lines, we can do more to help ��ý understand the weaknesses of these technologies, not just the strengths, so they have a rounded, critical view. This is important because in business, if you’re managing a portfolio of products and services, and you’re trying to come up with something new that would resonate with your target market, that’s not something that can be easily delegated to AI. Computers aren’t very good at running companies!

Instead, I am a big proponent of active learning and project-based learning – learning to deal with the ambiguities of what you’re exposed to and trying to solve problems as they come up. This gives our ��ý rounded skill sets rather than learning just one way of doing something.

As long as we’re teaching ��ý in this way, helping them see the bigger picture, and we’re teaching them to think critically and understand the pros and cons of emerging digital technologies, then I think our graduates are in a strong position in terms of vulnerability to job replacement.

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Interim Vice-Dean (Education) at Imperial Business School reveals how technology is driving a more personalised and impactful student experience.

Main image: Professor Christopher Tucci | ��ý

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Interim Vice-Dean (Education) at Imperial Business School reveals how technology is driving a more personalised and impactful student experience.

Top business school articles for ��ý 2025

Top business school articles for ��ý 2025

How are you future-proofing ��ý for a world where AI is rendering some jobs obsolete?