UGA sets up new Center for Business Analytics and Insights

The University of Georgia and its Terry College of Business establish a new Center for Business and Analytics. The first director will be Christopher Cornwell, who has served most recently as head of UGA’s Economics Department.

From David Dodson, UGA Today…

A new Center for Business Analytics and Insights has been established at the University of Georgia to lead the development and dissemination of analytics knowledge and skills for the Terry College of Business.

Christopher Cornwell, who most recently served as head of the Economics Department and holds the college’s Simon S. Selig Jr. Chair for Economic Growth, was named the interdisciplinary center’s first faculty director.

“No modern organization can be successful if its decision making is not data-driven,” said Dean Ben Ayers. “Establishing this center brings together the substantial efforts we’ve made in the past five years to strategically address the emerging field of data analytics for business. I’m grateful to Chris for leading our initiatives in this area.”

The center will serve as a forum for instructional and research collaboration across the Terry College’s academic units. Several graduate programs underscore the college’s breadth and depth in business analytics, including the Master of Science in Business Analytics, Master of Accountancy, Master of Marketing Research and doctoral programs across all seven academic departments.

The college recently launched an academic area of emphasis in analytics that’s open to all business undergraduates, while the MIS Department has offered its own area of emphasis in data analytics for years.

“Integrating analytics activity across all disciplines is essential to meet the market demand for these skills and provide state-of-the-art resources and training for empirical researchers,” Cornwell said. “The CBAI will provide a platform to connect our expertise to stakeholders who look to the Terry College for leadership in developing data-driven strategies.”

The center will enhance the learning experience in business analytics across the college’s curriculum, expand opportunities for experiential and project-based learning, and provide additional student support through initiatives like the Terry Analytics Lab, invited speakers and case competitions.

As a research center, the CBAI will be a hub for faculty collaboration through seed grants, industry partnerships and seminar speakers.

“Faculty members at Terry are actively engaged in quantitative research involving big data,” Cornwell said. “Giving these research activities clear direction and coordination will help us remain at the forefront.”

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