Seven faculty members will leverage 性视界 University鈥檚 for research and program development this summer, supported by funding from the .

The initiative, launched this year, provides full-time faculty members with $10,000 for high-impact summer projects based in Los Angeles, New York City or Washington, D.C.

鈥淭hese faculty members will chart new territory, using study away sites to push disciplinary and interdisciplinary research forward, forge partnerships across sectors and reimagine how students learn,鈥� says , associate provost for strategic initiatives. 鈥淲e are excited to see the new initiatives that grow out of these summer projects.鈥�

Los Angeles

, assistant professor of fashion design in the College of Visual and Performing Arts鈥� School of Design, will conduct a one-week research 鈥渟print鈥� investigating adaptive apparel needs for disabled performing artists, a population that is largely overlooked in existing research. Through interviews with disabled performers, Jiang will examine pain points around range of motion, quick changes, heat management, assistive device interfaces and aesthetic expression. The project will conclude with an Inclusive Performancewear Listening Session and the development of an Inclusive Adaptive Performancewear Design Requirements Toolkit.

Following the summer project, Jiang will bring VPA faculty and students into the research as stakeholders and collaborators and focus on developing prototype garment directions informed by the toolkit. She plans to return to LA next summer to engage in wear trials, follow-up interviews with original participants and the creation of a refined toolkit.

, associate professor of sport management, and , senior associate dean and professor of sport management in the David B. Falk College of Sport, plan to develop two new interdisciplinary courses and advance a growing research agenda. The first course, Sport Business, Hip Hop and Fashion, will examine the commercial and cultural intersections of sport, hip hop and the global fashion economy, using LA鈥檚 streetwear ecosystem and athlete-driven enterprises as living case studies. The second, Venue Hospitality: Sport Facilities as Engines of Experience, will use LA鈥檚 facility landscape鈥攊ncluding the Intuit Dome, SoFi Stadium and Crypto.com Arena鈥攖o explore the idea of modern sport venues as hospitality enterprises. The pair will meet with venue directors and industry professionals to generate curriculum content, confirm guest lecturers and support Falk College鈥檚 newly funded research partnership with a leading stadium technology company.

The courses, which Pauline and Tainsky plan to launch next spring, will be designed for sustained industry engagement through recurring guest speaker infrastructure and applied student projects, while the relationships developed in LA will be expanded into internship and capstone opportunities for sport management undergraduates.

New York City

, assistant professor of sport analytics in Falk College, will begin building the groundwork for a repeatable women鈥檚 sports analytics study away program that will be centered on the city鈥檚 concentrated women鈥檚 professional sports ecosystem and emphasize city-specific partnerships, hands-on student experiences and exclusive data access. She will conduct exploratory meetings with leadership at organizations including WNBA headquarters, NWSL headquarters, Gotham FC, the New York Liberty and the New York Sirens, as well as with sports analytics firms and women鈥檚 sports media companies.

Rubenstein plans to establish relationships with multiple organizational partners, secure letters of intent or MOUs, complete a feasibility report and develop a draft curriculum and syllabus informed directly by industry input. She envisions the program generating a network of industry partners committed to ongoing data sharing for research, internships and classroom collaboration, with findings integrated into coursework. The program also has potential as a student recruitment tool, and as a pathway for faculty research through sustained engagement with the New York study away site.

, associate professor of public administration and international affairs in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, will build a sustained, credit-bearing study away program centered on peacekeeping and global governance. He will conduct archival research at the United Nations Dag Hammarskj枚ld Library and think tank collections to support ongoing work on multilateral diplomacy and peace operations. He will also cultivate relationships with alumni, practitioners and New York-based NGOs working on human rights, peace building and sustainable development; these organizations will serve as sources of guest speakers, internship opportunities and potential research collaborators for Maxwell students.

The project is designed as a catalyst for a repeatable, on-site intensive course offered at the 400/600 level and open to undergraduate students in international relations, political science and policy studies as well as master鈥檚 candidates in international relations. That would bring Maxwell students into direct engagement with the UN, international NGOs, think tanks and global financial institutions, while partnerships with New York organizations would potentially generate collaborative projects that connect scholarly analysis to real-world advocacy and program design.

, assistant professor in the School of Education and VPA鈥檚 Setnor School of Music, will deepen partnerships with K-12 schools that are leading the way in modern band and popular music pedagogy. DeAngelis will meet with music educators and administrators at current and prospective partner schools, with a particular focus on programs that blend modern band and contemporary music approaches with traditional models. These efforts will broaden field placement opportunities for University music education students pursuing New York State K-12 certification.

Two high-visibility events will result from the project: a Fall 2026 professional development day at the Fisher Center featuring workshops and a panel discussion on contemporary music pedagogy with New York City-based educators and leaders in this field; and a Spring 2027 NYC music workshop that will bring partner school students to the Fisher Center for collaborative jam sessions, ensemble coaching and songwriting. These initiatives aim to create a sustained 鈥渇eedback loop鈥� between the University鈥檚 music education program and New York City schools and students, strengthening and expanding New York-based field placements, elevating 性视界鈥檚 profile as a leader in contemporary music education, attracting prospective students and ultimately extending the School of Education鈥檚聽聽student teaching program to include music education.

Washington, D.C.

, teaching professor and executive director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic in the College of Law, will utilize the University鈥檚 Washington, D.C. site as a sustained hub for interdisciplinary collaboration, alumni engagement and experiential learning in military and veterans law, administrative practice and public policy. She plans to formalize relationships with federal agencies and adjudicative bodies central to military and veterans law and host a reception for stakeholders in these areas. The event will serve to convene agency leaders, alumni and faculty, and engage University government relations and alumni affairs colleagues to build a coordinated institutional strategy and durable programming infrastructure.

The project will include early-stage development of an interdisciplinary speaker series in collaboration with that explores issues at the intersection of military and veterans policy, federal administration and institutional reform. Looking ahead, Kubala aims to establish a three-credit intersession residency course in Washington, serving both residential J.D. and hybrid-online JDi students, with a companion speaker series and alumni event to deepen professional networks. This will position the D.C. campus as a recurring convening hub that integrates academic programming, alumni relations, collaborative research and sustained federal partnerships across the College of Law and the broader University.

In its inaugural year, the Study Away Summer Awards drew 20 applications from faculty across eight schools and colleges. A review committee evaluated proposals based on five key areas: site engagement, research and creative merit, sustained impact, strategic alignment with the priorities outlined in the University鈥檚 academic strategic plan, 鈥�,鈥� and strength of partnerships.

Recipients will participate in a Universitywide showcase during the 2026-27 academic year, helping establish best practices and inspire broader faculty engagement with the University鈥檚 study away sites.

For more information about the awards, contact Dekaney at 315.443.0768聽or聽emdekane@syr.edu.

In Jamaica, where track and field stars like Usain Bolt (eight-time gold medalist) and Elaine Thompson-Herah (five-time gold medalist) captured national glory at the Summer Olympics, children grow up wanting to emulate their heroes.

But for every Bolt or Thompson-Herah, thousands of aspiring track and field athletes will never qualify for the Olympics. For them, they compete because they love their sport, not because they envision winning a gold medal.

Recognizing the important role support systems play in the development of teenagers into adults, a team of three students in the built a holistic vision for supporting elite youth athletes in Jamaica during the Grand Final of the fifth annual in Lausanne, Switzerland.

鈥淥ur focus was on preparing these students for a future outside of athletics. We wanted to give them the support they needed to succeed where they were at, but also to experience success once they鈥檙e done competing,鈥� says Cooper Feldstein 鈥�28, a sport management major.

The Falk students were invited to compete in the undergraduate event at the Grand Final after claiming first place in the semifinals back in December. , assistant teaching professor of sport management, served as the group’s advisor throughout the process.

Helping Athletes Feel Heard and Supported

At the Olympic Museum, Feldstein, Noah Bair 鈥�28 and Angel Rooks Orton 鈥�28 applied the lessons learned through their Falk College classes and presented their solution to a contemporary challenge in sports management.

The group selected Jamaica because of the country鈥檚 recognizable brand and success on the global stage, but also because of the national pride its citizens derive from the sport, and because of how many children take up sprinting.

To learn more about Jamaica’s youth track and field landscape, focusing on athletes ages 15 to 18, the students interviewed former Jamaican sprinter Kemardo Tyrell, now an assistant professor of research at Temple University鈥檚 School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management. Tyrell spoke to the unique pressures facing Jamaica’s youth athletes.

The group focused on increasing athlete retention (especially among girls), improving academic success and programming, enhancing sport participation and addressing growing mental health challenges.

Knowing most won鈥檛 make a successful career in athletics, the Falk team 鈥渨anted to help ensure that these elite athletes feel heard and are protected while they are committed to their sport,鈥� Bair says.

鈥淲e wanted to look at what the path of a youth athlete looks like, not only in terms of athletic success and accomplishments, but in their academics and their life outside of track,鈥� says Bair, a sport analytics major. 鈥淲hat we found was there are wide gaps in how well students can build a sustainable and enjoyable career in athletics.鈥�

Prioritizing Mental Health and Well-Being

Their research into the trends among Jamaica鈥檚 youth track and field competitors showed that if an athlete didn鈥檛 develop a positive mindset from an early age, they wouldn鈥檛 be able to handle the pressure of competing at the highest level.

鈥淲e needed to understand how we could provide them with the stability that they would need to perform to the level that they can actually get to, with how much pressure these kids are facing every day,鈥� Feldstein says.

As one of their cornerstones, the team proposed developing an app as an all-encompassing support system, serving as a communication tool between coaches and their athletes.

Wanting athletes to stay present and in the moment while balancing academics with athletics, the trio came up with weekly mental wellness check-ins where the youths could discuss what鈥檚 on their mind.

鈥淭hese elite athletes are facing a ton of pressure to succeed,鈥� says Rooks Orton, a sport management major. 鈥淭here are needs we鈥檙e trying to meet in Jamaica, and the app can help athletes stay in their program longer, enjoy their sport more and build habits to be successful in sports and in life.鈥�

Leveling the Playing Field

According to research conducted by the group, once a female athlete turns 13, the chances of her quitting her sport are two times greater than those of her male counterparts.

鈥淭hese females often get discouraged from competing because there isn鈥檛 a great support system in place, and because, for many girls, they don鈥檛 have examples of successful female athletes to look up to,鈥� Rooks Orton says. 鈥淲ith the app, girls can ask questions, learn from successful women athletes and get the support they need to stay in sports at a high level.鈥�

While the Orange trio didn鈥檛 win the Grand Final, the lessons learned from this global experience will stay with them as they prepare for a career in sports.

鈥淭his has been a formative experience,鈥� Feldstein says. 鈥淭he opportunity to work on this high-level professional project will prepare us for the future.鈥�

鈥淚t was an honor representing Falk College and 性视界 on the world stage,鈥� Bair says. 鈥淲e put our best foot forward thanks to the incredible work we鈥檙e doing at Falk.鈥�

Rooks Orton agrees. 鈥淚t鈥檚 cool to be in a position where we鈥檙e constantly learning about the industry,鈥� she says.

This experience was made possible by the generosity of Jeff and Andrea Lomasky, whose son, Marc Lomasky ’12, is an alumnus of the sport management program.

The in the raised $76,540 for at its 21st Annual Charity Sports Auction. The ceremonial check was presented to Golisano officials Jan. 13 before the Orange men鈥檚 basketball game at the JMA Wireless Dome.

During the 性视界 men鈥檚 basketball game on Nov. 18, supporters purchased items and placed bids on sports memorabilia, electronics, jewelry, gift baskets, experiences and trips, among other items. In addition to the in-person event, an online auction ran through Nov. 23, allowing supporters to bid on hundreds of items.

served as Title Sponsor for the 2025 auction.

Proceeds from this year鈥檚 Charity Sports Auction benefited the Upstate Pediatric and Adolescent Center (UPAC) at the . UPAC is a full-service pediatric and adolescent primary care clinic that provides well-child care, adolescent medicine, foster care support through its ENHANCE program, behavioral health integration, immunizations, and other family-centered services to children, adolescents and young adults.

鈥淎t Upstate Pediatric and Adolescent Center, we take care of 11,000 patients from 25,000 visits every year,鈥� says UPAC Director Dr. Steven Blatt. 鈥淭hese are children and families like every other family in the community, but often with economic or logistical challenges in their life. We at UPAC have done many things to help them, but the money the students have raised will help with the extras.”

The auction donation will create a Sport Management Club of 性视界 University Endowment in honor of Blatt and is being highlighted by recognition at the playground at , and naming in the UPAC elevator lobby on the fourth floor of the Nappi Wellness Institute.

鈥淲e are incredibly grateful to the Falk College Sport Management Club for their extraordinary generosity and commitment to Upstate Golisano Children鈥檚 Hospital,鈥� says Dave Bartell, assistant vice president of development for The Upstate Foundation. 鈥淭hrough their leadership, dedication and passion for service, these students are making a meaningful difference for the children and families served by the Upstate Pediatric and Adolescent Center, and we are honored to partner with them in this important work.鈥�

The Sport Management Club is a student-run organization. Since its founding in 2004, the club has raised more than $849,000 for local charities.

Previous beneficiaries of the club鈥檚 annual charity auction include Boys & Girls Clubs, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY, the Central New York SPCA, Upstate Cancer Center, Special Olympics New York, Food Bank of CNY, the Salvation Army, Rescue Mission Alliance, American Diabetes Association, Make A Wish CNY, Meals on Wheels, the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center, Vera House and Tillie鈥檚 Touch.

Over the years, the club has contributed more than $125,000 to , a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. Notable gifts include $20,000 to Upstate Golisano Children鈥檚 Hospital in 2009鈥�10 and $30,444 to the Upstate Cancer Center in 2011鈥�12.

鈥淪tudents from the Sport Management Club, for the past 20 years, have done what I think is one of the most important activities you will do, not only in college but in your life, and that鈥檚 making efforts to help people in your community,鈥� Blatt says.

The Sport Management Club meets weekly during the academic year. For more information about the annual charity auction, visit , , or the .

Story by James Stickel

Two students in the , Kate Bradley 鈥�26 and Jake Stoll 鈥�26, were recently honored as recipients of the 14th annual at the 2025 Michigan Sport Business Conference (MSBC).

, which took place Oct. 17-18 at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology, is recognized as one of the nation’s leading gatherings for students and professionals in the sport industry. Launched in 2013, the BIG Initiative Award is an annual honor recognizing outstanding student leaders across the United States who have achieved an exceptional level of success and demonstrated immense potential in sports business. The five winners, who were selected from top applicants across the country, attended the conference and an awards reception, gaining valuable, high-level networking access with industry professionals.

“I am so thankful to have attended the Michigan Sport Business Conference as a BIG Initiative Award winner,鈥� Bradley says. 鈥淚t was such a unique and meaningful opportunity to not only network with industry professionals but also to listen and learn from an incredible lineup of speakers and panels covering a wide range of topics across the sports industry.鈥�

Bradley, a senior sport management major with a minor in emerging sport enterprises, was selected for her diverse experience. She has held internships with several organizations, including Wasserman, the Premier Lacrosse League and ISlide, where she gained valuable experience in brand strategy, partnerships and event marketing. On campus, Bradley has demonstrated consistent leadership and commitment. She served as the public relations chair for the record-breaking 20th Annual Charity Sports Auction, vice president of community service for the Sport Management Club and communications chair for the Women in Sports and Events Club.

Stoll is a senior pursuing a bachelor of science degree in sport management with a business minor. He was recognized for gaining hands-on experience across multiple sectors of the sport business industry, including internships with the Brooklyn Football Club, Premiere Athlete Agency, TGI Sport and the Orange Bowl Committee. His leadership on campus includes serving as vice president of events for the 性视界 Sport Business Conference and being an active member of 鈥楥use Crew.

“Attending the Michigan Sport Business Conference was an incredible experience,” Stoll says. “I connected and learned from some of the most innovative minds in sports, which reminded me why I fell in love with this industry in the first place. Being selected as a BIG Initiative Award recipient is a true honor. The conference pushed me to think bigger, stay curious and continue building toward a career where I can make a real impact in sports, and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to attend.”

The students spent the day immersed in the conference’s programming, which featured an inspiring lineup of speakers and panels. The honorees and attendees heard from leading figures such as NBA legend Grant Hill, who delivered a keynote address, and entrepreneur and Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian.

The agenda was packed with discussions and structured networking opportunities designed to offer a 360-degree view of the modern sport landscape.

鈥淥ne of my favorite sessions was the panel on experiential marketing,鈥� Bradley says. 鈥淚t was fascinating to hear insights from leaders representing brands, properties and agencies, each offering a different perspective on how to create impactful fan experiences. I left feeling inspired and more confident in my path within the sports industry with new ideas and connections.”

Key sessions included a deep dive into the legal field with the panel “Navigating the Field: Becoming a Sports Lawyer in a Law Firm,” presented by Latham & Watkins, and a conversation centered on “Leveraging Athletes as Investors.” The global impact of soccer was explored in the panel “Beyond the Pitch: How World Cup 2026 Could Transform Soccer in America,” which featured representatives from the FIFA World Cup 2026. Attendees also had the opportunity to attend workshops focusing on careers in experiential marketing.

The conference concluded with structured networking and a career fair, giving Bradley and Stoll the opportunity to connect directly with professionals from organizations including the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) and FOX Sports.

Elena Randolph 鈥�24 was the previous student from Falk College to receive a BIG Initiative Award in 2022. Randolph is now a team development associate for the NBA鈥檚 New Orleans Pelicans.

Former 性视界 men鈥檚 basketball coach Jim Boeheim 鈥�66, G鈥�73, who spent 47 years leading his alma mater鈥檚 program, has a new title at the University: adjunct professor in the .

Boeheim, alongside David B. Falk Emeritus Professor , is teaching the sport management class From the Bench to the Boardroom: Lessons in Leadership.

The class provides a comprehensive overview of the leadership process, daily operations and working relationships found in every corporate or business setting. Students are studying leadership using professional and intercollegiate sport as a means to better understand the process of building team chemistry, discipline and goal-setting.

Prominent guests so far this semester have included another Hall of Fame basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey and Heather Lyke, special advisor to the chancellor and athletic director at 性视界.

In the above video, Coach Boeheim discusses this new chapter in his career and students share their impressions of 鈥淧rofessor Boeheim.鈥�

Video captured, edited and produced by Amy Manley, senior multimedia producer

Justy Carruthers 鈥�25 was so impressed with the sport management program in the that she moved across the country from San Diego to enroll here.

But after just one day in her first sport management class, she was ready to fly back to the West Coast.

Carruthers met with her instructor, Associate Professor , following the class and told her, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think this is meant for me.鈥� When Pauline asked why, Carruthers said, 鈥淏ecause all of the boys in the class are spitting out facts left and right and I have no idea what they鈥檙e talking about.鈥�

But Pauline, who worked in collegiate athletics before joining 性视界 University, saw the same potential in Carruthers that 性视界 football coach would see two years later. Pauline encouraged Carruthers to keep an open mind and understand that she didn鈥檛 need to know stats, she needed to display 鈥済rit and hustle.鈥�

鈥淪he came up to me after every single class and really made her presence known and to work in football, you have to have that presence, right?鈥� Pauline says. 鈥淵ou have to be passionate and motivated and not afraid to speak up. That鈥檚 what has set her apart all along.鈥�

With the help of Pauline鈥檚 professional network, Carruthers spent two years as an intern with the American Hockey League鈥檚 性视界 Crunch, and the Crunch helped her land a summer internship with the AHL鈥檚 San Diego Gulls. She was working as an intern for the 性视界 football team when Brown was hired in November 2023, and 10 months later, Brown appointed Carruthers as the youngest director of on-campus recruiting at a Power 4 school鈥揳nd she was just starting her senior year.

Thanks to a whirlwind recruiting class that Brown assembled and Carruthers helped procure, the 2024 Orange enjoyed one of the greatest seasons in program history with a 10-3 record and three wins over top-25 teams.

鈥淪he’s a major part of our program, and the success we had our first year, we wouldn’t have had it without her,鈥� Brown says. 鈥淲e wouldn’t be where we are in the recruiting rankings without Justy.鈥�

鈥楩rom 0 to 100鈥�

So, how did Carruthers get from being a student intern to this integral role? , who supervises Carruthers as 性视界鈥檚 senior athletic director for football operations, says Carruthers personifies Brown鈥檚 culture of D.A.R.T.: She is Detailed, Accountable, Relentless and Tough.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not the easiest world to work in, college athletics, and especially Power 4 football (made up of the most influential conferences),鈥� says Kelly, who joined Brown鈥檚 staff in March 2024. 鈥淏ut she’s got a confidence about her that really stuck out to me. And she’s been an asset to us ever since I’ve been here.鈥�

When Brown was hired, recruiting 鈥渨ent from 0 to 100,鈥� Carruthers says, and she and another Falk College intern, Cami Pasqualoni 鈥�24, put their recruiting ideas in a binder for Brown to consider and eventually implement.

鈥淚t was nuts,鈥� Carruthers says, 鈥渂ut it taught me so much about myself because our coaches would call me at 1 or 2 in the morning and say, 鈥業 need a kid here by 8 a.m.,鈥� and I鈥檇 have to figure that one out.鈥�

One of those recruits was quarterback Kyle McCord, who was transferring from Ohio State. Carruthers received a call from the player personnel department at around 2:30 a.m. saying that Kyle McCord鈥檚 father was on the phone and they needed to get McCord here as soon as possible.

Carruthers made all the arrangements for his visit, including a last-minute change after his initial flight was grounded. McCord eventually chose 性视界, and he set a 性视界 record and led the NCAA with 4,779 passing yards.

鈥榃orks Itself Out鈥�

Following 性视界鈥檚 win over Georgia Tech last September, Brown offered Carruthers the full-time job as director of on-campus recruiting and then called her parents to make sure they were comfortable with their daughter working full-time while completing her degree. Carruthers didn鈥檛 accept the job at first because she was concerned about juggling work and academics, but in the end she decided鈥攎uch like she did after her first class as a first-year student鈥攖o embrace the challenge.

鈥淚 flooded my schedule in my freshman and sophomore years and I鈥檓 so happy I did because my junior and senior years were a little bit lighter,鈥� Carruthers says. 鈥淎nd with the teachers I had like (Associate Teaching Professor) , they gave me so much support and grace in the classroom.鈥�

Carruthers鈥� day-to-day duties depend on the time of year as the on-campus recruiting calendar varies throughout the year. But recruits can attend games at any time, and Carruthers plans all aspects of their visits, from flights to rental cars to hotels and even monitoring traffic patterns to ensure they arrive to campus on time. Brown says Carruthers is the most organized person he knows, and he says a recruit鈥檚 visit 鈥渏ust always works itself out the right way.鈥�

It’s remarkable to think that Carruthers, who as a first-year student wasn鈥檛 sure if she could cut it at 性视界, is now an integral part of what college football experts call one of the most efficient recruiting machines in the country. Football is a results-oriented business, and Brown clearly favors Carruthers鈥� results over her age.

鈥淚 think this has been something that鈥檚 not only shaped me but also shaped the program,鈥� Carruthers says. 鈥淎 lot of our coaches say they learn something new from me every day. They always say, 鈥業 want my daughter to be like you when she鈥檚 older because they joke that I don鈥檛 put up with anything.鈥欌��

The earliest memories聽 has involve playing sports and watching the golden age of Big East Conference basketball with stars like Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin and 性视界 University star Pearl Washington.

Now, as a father of two children who play youth sports, Tainsky says the 鈥渁nchor events鈥� in their household revolve around his children鈥檚 games and practices, and the sports they watch together on TV. Tainsky built his research career around the idea that sports bring people together, and that鈥檚 the focus and sensibility he鈥檚 bringing to the as its new senior associate dean of faculty affairs and academic operations.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the same feeling I hope to experience very shortly at the (JMA Wireless) Dome,鈥� Tainsky says. 鈥淏eing able to come together and root, root, root for the home team with the family was a salient experience for me as I grew up and became an athlete. Then, as a soon-retired athlete, it evolved from me competing to being one of the people either coaching or analyzing what鈥檚 going on for others to do their best to compete at the highest level.鈥�

Tainsky, who started at Falk College on July 1, was previously a professor of management and Director of Sport and Entertainment Management at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, where he was awarded Mike Ilitch School of Business awards for innovative teaching and excellence in research. He鈥檚 currently editor in chief of the , the official research journal of the (NASSM) and he has co-authored over 50 journal articles, becoming a NASSM Research Fellow in 2015.

At the core of Tainsky鈥檚 research are the decisions made by high-level sports managers and how they impact both organizational performance and the collective well-being of fans.

鈥淪cott鈥檚 research interests鈥揺conomics of sports leagues and teams, player performance analytics, and corporate social responsibility in national and international sports leagues鈥揳lign perfectly with our vision for creating the nation鈥檚 premier College of Sport,鈥� says Falk College Dean Jeremy Jordan. With programs in esports, exercise science, nutrition, sport analytics and sport management, the Falk College of Sport launched July 1 as the on a high-research activity campus (R1) to focus on sport through a holistic academic lens.

We connected with Tainsky to learn more about his research and how it will impact the College of Sport.

How did you develop an interest in studying the impact of sport?

My curiosity about the world and trying to incorporate that into my daily life. Being able to better the community that I鈥檓 a part of is ingrained by the fact that I grew up in a house where my father (Dr. Michael Tainsky) was a researcher鈥攊n his case he was trying to cure cancer and improve people鈥檚 lives that way.

Mine was much more social. As a social scientist, I have noticed the way sport can be such a valuable part of people鈥檚 lives. My first memory was watching Big East basketball, and I liked math. I try to bring those two worlds together to create the best social experiences for the greatest number of people possible.

One of the College of Sport鈥檚 areas of excellence is community sport and wellness, or as Dean Jordan also calls it, 鈥渟port for good.鈥� How does your research fit with the uplifting power of sport?

The intellectual side of that is no one has to do sport; it鈥檚 an elective part of our lives. Since so many are choosing to spend so much of our attention on this leisure activity, it鈥檚 an incredible opportunity to see what people truly value. At the same time, we can provide leadership in utilizing that to help create the most good in the community.

We鈥檙e here to help round out that part of their choice, to provide the right amount of sport, marketed and delivered in a way that鈥檚 consumable and made more efficient, where the product is better and where the athletes are more informed.

Is there a specific theme throughout your research?

If there鈥檚 a theme to my research, it鈥檚 this idea of positive externalities, and that鈥檚 a very technical term of what is being produced can produce additional good captured by others. So, for example, in that I did with (Sport Analytics Professor) , we look at how the hotel industry is impacted by college football games. It鈥檚 not like Marriot or Hilton does anything different to be able to raise their rates or increase their occupancy rates on home football games. It happens because there鈥檚 so much excitement around sport; so much interest in being a part of that experience. So, in that case, we鈥檙e looking to quantify the externalities produced by football games.

There are other ways this presents in terms of viewership. When I follow 性视界 basketball and 性视界 basketball is having a good year, you would think that because we only have so much leisure time and I鈥檓 watching more of the Orange, it might take away the amount I choose to watch other basketball teams. But in fact, the opposite is true. As I become more deeply connected to 性视界 basketball, I鈥檓 actually more interested in some of the rival teams we鈥檙e competing against. So, we鈥檙e looking for those externalities, quantifying those externalities, and then helping round out the experience with the understanding that those things that may be counterintuitive are in play. How do we capitalize on this knowledge to produce the most good?

What are your impressions of the Falk College of Sport and what it can become?

Falk College and 性视界 University have recognized that there are four legs of the stool, and you can鈥檛 get any balance unless all four of them are functioning and working together. You can鈥檛 create athletes and have competition at the highest level without understanding the exercise science portion and the nutrition portion of sport. You can鈥檛 produce teams and individuals functioning at their highest level without sport management and sport analytics. You can鈥檛 appreciate the whole of it unless all of those pieces are talking with one another…and there is not one other place that鈥檚 doing what鈥檚 happening right now at Falk College. It鈥檚 100 percent the reason I wanted to be a part of this project.

What drew me to Falk College was this vision of what can be if we bring together these disciplines that are often times separated and siloed. It鈥檚 such a welcome idea that I expect us to be doing incredible things quickly because of all the support I鈥檓 seeing and all of the buy-in for what we鈥檙e doing from so many different, important pieces of this puzzle.