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Villanova School of Business Establishes New Laboratory for the Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research in Bartley Hall

Student in Behavioral Lab

Villanova, Pa., September 20, 2018 – The Villanova School of Business (VSB) has completed construction on its Laboratory for the Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research (LAIR), a behavioral research lab that provides a physical space for VSB faculty and students to conduct research studies using surveys, interviews, focus groups and other primary sources. The LAIR will also serve as a resource for course projects that require primary data collection and support other activities that call for cutting-edge research practices.  

In announcing the LAIR, Joyce E. A. Russell, PhD, The Helen and William O'Toole Dean at VSB, said ‘This new research lab will position VSB at the forefront of teaching and scholarship exploring the key individual and team drivers of management decisions. The LAIR’s state-of-the-art tools for data collection and capacity for emerging technologies are a testament to VSB’s continuing mission of excellence as a top research school where students can work closely with faculty to make a positive impact.”

Faculty at VSB are very excited about how the Lab will enable them to work more closely with their students. “The creation of the this new lab is an essential step in promoting groundbreaking and collaborative research between faculty and students across Villanova,” said Beth Vallen, PhD, associate professor, Marketing & Business Law. “With a designated research facility, we can better provide opportunities to expand and promote the exciting research that is happening here at VSB.”

The LAIR represents an effort to support the growing interest in academic research from VSB’s undergraduate and graduate students, in addition to building a legacy of innovative programs that position VSB students and faculty as thought leaders in their fields.

Daniel Fragiadakis, PhD, assistant professor, Economics, added, “The LAIR is an innovative space for VSB faculty to run experiments while students serve as participants, thus helping students see the connection between theory to practice. In turn, students, via their participation, help VSB faculty advance their research in behavioral sciences.”

The Laboratory for the Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research includes many contemporary capabilities, including:

  • Audio and visual recording equipment for data collection.
  • A main area where participants will participate in research studies with an adjacent room for researcher controls such as a central computer and intercom system.
  • Mobile tables and chairs, allowing for researchers to have participants sit in any desired arrangement.

The Villanova School of Business (VSB) undergraduate program is ranked #1 in the nation by Bloomberg Businessweek and has been at the forefront of business education since it was founded in 1922. Serving over 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students, VSB is home to five Centers of Excellence – the Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate, the Elenore and Robert F. Moran Sr. Center for Global Leadership, the Center for Business Analytics, the Center for Marketing & Consumer Insights and the Center for Church Management – with each designed to foster innovative, cross-disciplinary research and applied opportunities for students. VSB is known for academic rigor; creativity and innovation; hands-on and service learning opportunities; a firm grounding in ethics; and an applied education that prepares students to become outstanding leaders and global citizens within the ever-changing, complex, and fast-paced world of business. For more, visit business.villanova.edu.