Biography

Dr. Ali Emdad is the Executive Director of Research Centers at Morgan State University's Graves Business School in Baltimore, Maryland.

He is a forward-thinking academic and professional with a proven record at the intersection of business, finance, and technology. He advocates for innovation and inclusivity through spearheading curriculum development, research projects, conferences, research centers, and industry-academia collaborations. These efforts have enabled him to introduce numerous "Firsts," underscoring his belief in the transformative power of technology across business fields. 

Previously, he served as Interim Dean and Associate Dean of the Graves Business School and as the founding Chair of the Department of Information Science and Systems, where he led the creation of new academic programs, including a B.S. in Supply Chain Management, a Master of Science in Project Management, and a Ph.D. track in Information Systems.

He is the founding Director of the Center for the Study of Blockchain and Financial Technology (The FinTech Center) and the Center for Data Analytics and Sports Gaming Research, both research centers at the forefront of innovation. Dr. Emdad has demonstrated the ability to seize opportunities in evolving cutting-edge trends, scale initiatives that drive academic excellence, and deliver tangible social impact. His work bridges technology, business, and real-world applications, focusing on advancing data-driven solutions that address key societal challenges.

Dr. Emdad has more than thirty publications in various areas of IT and business. He shepherded the growth of the Graves School's Capital Markets Lab since 2015 and the establishment of the Student Managed Investment Fund in June 2024. An experienced educator, Dr. Emdad, has a thorough knowledge of the AACSB International accreditation standards and processes. Before joining academia, Dr. Emdad worked at Kennecott Corporation. 

A prolific fundraiser, he has established strong partnerships with corporations and government agencies. Since 2019, he has secured over $7.5 million in external funding. 

Dr. Emdad has been awarded the Iva G. Jones Medallion, the highest honor the university bestows upon a faculty member for outstanding teaching, research, and service. A 2007 Fulbright Fellow, Emdad holds a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University and has completed executive management, leadership, and technical education programs at Harvard, Yale, and MIT.

Research Interests
Blockchain and the last mile problem; Verification and trust in cryptoeconomics; IT strategy; Management of risk

Teaching Interests
FinTech; Cryptoassets and entrepreneurship; Management of risk and Innovation; IT strategy; 

Selected Publications (2009-2019)

Hughes-Darden, C.; Ellington, R.M.; Zaveri, J.; Bapna, S.; Akil, L; Hargett, S.; Bhattacharya, P.; Emdad, A.; Nkwanta, A. (2019), Interventions Addressing Recruitment and Retention of Underrepresented Minority Groups in Undergraduate STEM Disciplines. IN: Culturally Responsive Strategies for Reforming STEM Higher Education: Turning the TIDES on Inequity, Edited by Kelly M. Mack, et al., Emerald Publishing Limited, pp 229-248.

Emdad, A.; Fanusie, Yaya J. (2018), A Model for Introducing the Study of Cryptoeconomics and Blockchain Technology to College Campuses, Proceedings of SIBR 2018 Osaka Conference on Interdisciplinary Business & Economics Research, July 5th - 6th, 2018, Osaka, Japan.

Patel, S., Bhatt, G., & Emdad, A. (2014). Development of simulation: A student's learning approach. American Journal of Information Technology, 4, (1), 33-49.

Bhatt, G., Emdad, A., Roberts, N., and Grover, V. Building and leveraging information in dynamic markets: the role of IT infrastructure flexibility as an enabler of organizational responsiveness and competitive advantage, Information & Management, 47, (2010), 341-349.

Bhatt, G., and Emdad, A. (2010) ). An empirical examination of the relationship between information technology (IT) Infrastructure, customer focus, and business advantages. Journal of Systems and Information Technology, 12, (1), 4-16.

Emdad, A.; Bhatt, G. (2009). An empirical examination of the relationship between information technology (IT) Infrastructure, customer focus, and business advantages. Association for Information Systems: Americas Conference on Information Systems, AIS.