The Research Connect seminar series, organized by the Department of Marketing, Strategy, and Innovation at the Business School, continued successfully throughout February and March 2025. These sessions have provided an excellent platform for colleagues and PGR’s to showcase their research, share insights, and engage in thought-provoking discussions.
February 12 Session
We kicked off the February seminar with Prof. Jeff Bray, who presented his work on last year’s Watercress-funded project. He also shared valuable insights into navigating the funding application and review process this year. This was followed by Asim Batwa (second year PGR) who presented his research on Smart Digital Nudges: Enhancing Tourists’ Sustainable Transportation Decisions. His session, ahead of his major review, led to a engaging discussion on the role of digital interventions in sustainable travel behaviour.
March 12 Session
In March, Duncan Light presented his research recently published in Tourism Review on Selling Souvenirs and Lifestyle Entrepreneurship, offering key insights into this evolving market. The session concluded with a very interesting discussion on Quality vs. Quantity in Academic Publishing—a very timely topic for researchers striving to strike the right balance in their publication strategies.
You can read Duncan’s full paper: Light, D., Lupu, C., Creţan, R. and Chapman, A. (2024), “Unconventional entrepreneurs: the non-economic motives of souvenir sellers”, Tourism Review, Vol. 79 No. 8, pp. 1442-1456. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-09-2023-0655
Join Us for the Next Research Connect Seminar!
Our next Research Connect session is scheduled for April 9, 2025, from 4:00–5:00 PM in F108. We will follow the same format: an academic presentation, followed by a PGR-led discussion. As always, we’ll continue the conversation informally at Dylan’s afterward.
Looking forward to seeing you there 😊











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