2025 AMA–Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium

A short report from Yuen Wei Lun on the learning points from the consortium.

I attended the 2025 AMA–Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium, a four-day event held from June 25-28, 2025. at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The consortium brings together senior faculty and selected doctoral students from marketing departments around the world for a mix of talks, panels, and small-group discussions focused on developing us as researchers and future faculty. Being nominated to represent our department gave me the opportunity both to learn from leading scholars and to share my research.

A particularly valuable part of the program was the focus on the review process. Editors and experienced reviewers walked us through how they approach manuscript evaluation, what distinguishes a strong, constructive review from a weak one, and how to interpret and respond to decision letters. We discussed common pitfalls (both as authors and as reviewers) and had a hands-on exercise in writing a review. This demystified the review process and gave me clearer strategies for managing a research pipeline, writing better reviews, and handling revise-and-resubmit decisions.

Another key benefit was the chance to build relationships with peers and mentors. I met many fellow PhD students working on related topics such as sustainability and consumer welfare. We exchanged work, discussed overlaps in our interests, and identified possible ways to collaborate or at least keep each other updated as our projects progress. Informal conversations with senior faculty were equally valuable: they offered candid advice on navigating the job market, making strategic choices about projects, and maintaining a coherent research identity over time.

Finally, the visits to the Columbus Zoo and museum made it easier to get to know faculty and peers beyond formal sessions. Overall, the consortium was an intensive but highly enriching experience. I came away with clearer ideas for improving my dissertation, a better understanding of the publication and review process, and a stronger network of colleagues and mentors.