Message from the dean

At the UB School of Management, we believe that real-world contexts demand interdisciplinary perspectives and that innovation happens at points of intersection. This issue of Buffalo Business reflects that belief, highlighting how management expertise leverages multiple stakeholder perspectives to scale discovery, expand opportunity and improve lives.

Our cover story, “Discovery, delivered,” explores what happens when business meets biotech. Prominent alumni are helping guide life-changing medicines from the lab to patients, while in the School of Management, faculty prepare leaders to envision paths where management skills can be applied to scientific research. Their work underscores an essential truth: scientific breakthroughs require strong business leadership — from financing and operations to technology and commercialization — to reach those who need them most.

That same commitment to applied learning and impact runs throughout this issue. In Stepping Up, you’ll read how students are gaining hands-on financial experience through such programs such as the Terese Kelly Investment Group and the Fisher Family Fellows, where real capital, real accountability and real decision-making prepare them for high-stakes careers. These experiences prepare our students to think critically, act responsibly and lead with confidence from day one. And in "Gamified Growth", you’ll see how experiential tools such as Suit-A-Bull are reshaping career readiness, helping students connect classroom learning to professional skills in meaningful, measurable ways.

We are also investing in the future of talent and access. “Exploring the Future of Artificial Intelligence” details the new AI Experience at UB, which introduces middle- and high-school students to AI through hands-on learning grounded in ethics and business relevance. By demystifying the technology and emphasizing agency, our faculty are helping young people see themselves as creators and leaders in tomorrow’s innovation economy.

Across these stories, a common theme emerges: momentum and a drive to innovate. From strong national rankings and faculty research shaping policy and practice to alumni driving impact across industries, our community continues to demonstrate the value of a School of Management education driven by our strategic pillars: transformative education, thought leadership, engaging for impact and competing as a business school.

Thank you, as always, for your continued engagement and support. Together, we will continue to connect business with science; technology with ethics; and education with opportunity, ensuring that our impact continues to grow.