Programs and Initiatives

The PhD Project is committed to providing our doctoral students and alumni with opportunities and resources to promote their professional development.

CARMA – Consortium for Advancement of Research Methods and Analysis

CARMA Affiliate Programs are a set of free programs offered in partnership with professional associations and groups from fields of management. Their focus is educating faculty and graduate students on discipline appropriate research methods. These programs allow access to resources already developed by CARMA, as well as new events developed for and in partnership with CARMA Affiliates.

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Strategies for Teaching Success – partnering with Bentley University

In July 2015, Bentley University piloted a program for PhD Project members to address teaching skills. This has become an annual event, held each June for new and emerging faculty.

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The PhD Project and Baruch College Research Symposium

The PhD Project and the Baruch College at the City University of New York, invite doctoral students who are members of the PhD Project to apply to participate in the annual PhD Project – Baruch College Research Symposium in New York City. Accepted students will be designated PhD Project – Baruch College Doctoral Research Fellows.

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Suffolk University and The PhD Project’s Meet the Universities and Colleges in Boston Symposium

Suffolk University would like to deepen its relationship with the PhD Project community by hosting an annual symposium. The purpose of this symposium would be to establish personal connections with late-stage PhD students and early-stage faculty from underrepresented minority groups – Black/African Americans, Latinx/Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans – who might be interested in pursuing a tenure-track career at Suffolk University or in the greater Boston area.

Suffolk University and the PhD Project will partner with various institutions in the greater Boston area to host and support the symposium. We hope to establish long-term relationships, thus providing Sawyer Business School and partner institutions from the greater Boston area access to a diverse network of doctoral students during hiring cycles. This will give us the chance to create stronger relationships with doctoral students even before they are on the academic job market.

The symposium would take place annually in the Spring (end of March – March 25th and 26th), before our job openings are posted. Baruch College also runs a Symposium in late April, and we would like to give students the opportunity to attend both.

East Carolina Emerging Scholars

The East Carolina University (ECU) Emerging Scholars Symposium, held each October, is a program for scholars nearing the end of their terminal degree studies and recent graduates, including postdoctoral scholars. The program is designed to diversify East Carolina University’s faculty pipeline with emphasis on groups underrepresented in their field. Participants in this program will (1) engage with ECU academic leaders, (2) learn about faculty life at ECU, and (3) showcase their research.

Program Benefits

  • Networking dinners with academic leaders and faculty
  • Research presentations to faculty and students
  • Campus and community tours
  • Workshops and panel discussions regarding faculty careers at ECU

Please contact myrnavarner@kpmg.com by September 30th for details about this year’s event.

Providence College Case Writing Workshop

This two-session virtual case writing workshop, held in June, was motivated by the need for more diversity representation in business school curricula – especially in business school cases. Participants will hear from journal editors about how to source ideas and material for cases, about case publishing and about the importance of case teaching notes. AACSB staff will discuss the role case publishing can play in AACSB standards for faculty qualification and for impact. An interactive case “hackathon” will help you flesh out a case idea and develop a project plan for writing and submitting a case for publication in a peer-reviewed journal in 2022. This is open to both doctoral students and faculty members. There is no fee for the workshop, and you must commit to participating on both days.

Please contact myrnavarner@kpmg.com for details about this year’s event.

AAA Audit Educator’s Bootcamp

The AAA Audit Educator’s Bootcamp, held each June, includes discussions of current practices related to the auditing profession. Coverage will include various topics including audit planning, internal controls, risk, materiality and substantive testing. Participants will receive a set of materials that they can customize for use in their classrooms as well as a list of available resources for audit-related teaching materials.

While it is directed to faculty, the organizers have provided The PhD Project with a limited number of spaces for doctoral students who are ABD and teaching or intend to teach auditing once on faculty. Please contact myrnavarner@kpmg.com by April 15th for details about this year’s event.

Aspiring Leaders Program – partnering with AACSB International (For tenured faculty)

The PhD Project is proud to host the Aspiring Leaders Program with AACSB. Held each July for tenured PhD Project faculty, this program addresses all leadership roles from department chairs through provost and is facilitated by our friend, and Dean Emeritus, Dr. Andy Policano. For more information on this exciting program, contact Myrna Varner at myrnavarner@kpmg.com.

Project AHEAD: Achieving Higher Education Administration Diversity (For tenured faculty)

With fewer than 30 African-American, Hispanic American and Native American Deans at majority  business schools in the U.S., the need for administrative diversity has become increasingly evident. Project AHEAD encourages tenured minority faculty to explore positions in administration. Following The PhD Project model, this program offers resources and support by hosting webinars and providing mentors to help members on this path.

KPMG Board Fit

KPMG Board Leadership Center’s Board Fit program is an outgrowth of KPMG’s commitment to boardroom excellence and the importance of strong, diverse boards. Board Fit is conducted by our center’s board and governance experts.

For more information on these programs, please contact Myrna Varner at myrnavarner@kpmg.com.