Massry Dean Hosts National Symposium Supporting PhD Students

By Siobhan Treacy

ALBANY, N.Y. (July 29 2025) — Dr. Paquita Davis-Friday, Dean of the University at Albany’s Massry School of Business, recently hosted the seventh annual PhD Research Symposium. Davis-Friday founded the event in 2018 while serving as a faculty member at Baruch College. The symposium is designed to support underrepresented doctoral students in business disciplines and brings together PhD students from across the country. 

This year's presented research spanned a range of disciplines, including accounting, marketing, management and more. Among this year’s participants was a student from The Massry School of Business, whose research is focused on user behavior in cybersecurity. 

A Unique Opportunity 

Dean Davis-Friday developed the symposium to address a critical gap in doctoral training: providing students with expert feedback in a low-stakes environment. "Many PhD candidates hesitate to ask for advice from advisors who will later evaluate them," she explained. "This gives them a chance to refine their work with leading scholars who have no stake in their academic outcomes." 

A key part of the symposium is the role of faculty discussants. These experienced scholars provide students with constructive criticism without the pressure of evaluation they may feel from mentors at their schools. "The symposium gives students expert opinions from people who aren’t making decisions about their academic future," explained Davis-Friday. "There’s no downside—only helpful feedback."  

This year, Baruch College faculty and previous symposium attendees served as discussants. A panel of early-career academics and soon-to-be professors shared insights on balancing dissertation completion with the job market—a challenge many PhD candidates face.

Expanding Horizons 

Beyond academic development, the symposium also serves as a venue for participants to strengthen their presentation skills. Massry School of Business Information Science PhD student Lakshika Vaishnav attended this year’s symposium to present her work on user behavior in cybersecurity titled, “The Impact of Cognitive Load on Responses to Security Alerts: Investigating Human Errors’.   

“Attending the symposium at Baruch was initially a bit overwhelming, as I felt quite nervous presenting my ongoing research.” shared Vaishnav, “However, the people I met there were incredibly welcoming and helped me feel comfortable. Listening to the fascinating research shared by Ph.D. scholars was both inspiring and motivating. The energy throughout the symposium was positive and uplifting and I am truly grateful to have been part of the event.” 

In addition to strengthening their confidence, this symposium is an opportunity for participants to learn from their fellow cohorts in an accessible way that would not be available outside of this arena.  

“One of the most thought-provoking aspects for me was seeing the diverse range of research topics and innovative approaches, which broadened my perspective and sparked new ideas for my own work.” said Vaishnav.

Future Expansion and UAlbany’s Role 

As AI, cybersecurity and other emerging topics gain traction in business research, the symposium continues to evolve. This year’s discussions included ethical dilemmas in AI disclosure—a timely issue as companies grapple with transparency in marketing. With each passing year, the event not only refines students’ academic skills but also strengthens a growing network of diverse scholars in business disciplines. 

Looking ahead, organizers are considering hosting future iterations at other universities, including at The University at Albany Massry School of Business. Davis-Friday sees the symposium as a potential steppingstone toward establishing a PhD program at the Massry School of Business. "Bringing this event to Albany would expose students to our campus while allowing them to experience New York outside of the city," she said. "It’s also a way to demonstrate our faculty’s capacity for mentoring PhD-level research." 

For Dean Davis-Friday, the event remains a testament to the power of mentorship and inclusion in shaping the next generation of business leaders and faculty.