Three Gies Business faculty named Advanced Study Scholars

 Three Gies Business faculty members have been named Gies Advanced Study Scholars: Mahyar Kargar, Unnati Narang, and Jalal Sani. As an Advanced Study Scholar, each faculty member will receive one course release for the 2025-2026 academic year to provide additional time to pursue their research, as well as a stipend.

 “The Gies Business Advanced Study Scholars program is way to recognize especially promising Gies assistant professors whose research track record is outstanding to date,” said Mark Peecher, executive associate dean of faculty and research in Gies Business.  

Mahyar Kargar

“Being named a Gies Advanced Study Scholar is a great honor and a meaningful recognition of my research and the direction it’s heading,” said Mahyar Kargar, a faculty member in the Department of Finance. “It reinforces the value of the work I’m doing and provides institutional support at a critical stage in my career as I prepare for tenure.’

His research explores financial market liquidity, asset pricing, and the role of institutional investors in capital markets. He plans to use the time provided by the scholarship to continue work on a number of research projects, especially those involving developing new theoretical models or working with large and complex data.

“I’m truly grateful to the Dean’s Office and the Department of Finance for their continued support and for creating opportunities like this that meaningfully invest in research and early-career faculty,” Kargar said. “It’s encouraging to be part of a community that values and actively supports scholarly work.”

Unnati Narang

Unnati Narang, a faculty member in the Department of Business Administration, said, “I’m honored to be named an Advanced Study Scholar by our college. As a tenure-track faculty member, the additional course release and research support will provide valuable time and resources to accelerate my ongoing projects.”

Narang’s research focuses on how mobile and digital technologies shape consumer and firm outcomes, with a strong emphasis on omnichannel retail. This includes investigations into how tools like branded mobile apps, location tracking, and in-store digital devices influence consumer decisions across online and offline shopping channels. As an Advanced Study Scholar, she will pursue some more unconventional and potentially higher-risk projects, such as exploring how AI transforms digital content, online searches, and the shopping experience.

“This recognition helps deepen my connection to our academic community at Gies and beyond,” Narang said. “The Advanced Study Scholar appointment not only provides resources and time, but it also offers visibility and validation at a critical stage in my career.”

Jalal Sani

Jalal Sani, a faculty member in the Department of Accountancy, said, “This is an incredible honor, and I am grateful that my work has been recognized in this way. I appreciate the resources the school has provided over the years to support my career, and this award further reinforces that support.”

Sani’s research examines the economic consequences of financial reporting and information disclosure. In particular, he studies how both traditional and nontraditional disclosures influence capital markets and shape real managerial decisions. His work has been published in leading accounting journals, including the Journal of Accounting and Economics and the Journal of Accounting Research.

“This award will meaningfully support my research by giving me the time and flexibility to maintain momentum on ongoing projects,” Sani said. “The course release will help me stay consistently involved in each project and maintain the momentum needed to move them forward efficiently.”