The Academy of Management (AoM) annual meeting brings together some of the most influential voices in organizational scholarship. The conference took place in Copenhagen, Denmark this year, and over 13,000 management scholars from around the world attended. Sanger Research Lab’s impact was reflected at the conference across several moments of recognition, research development, and cross-institutional connection.
Michigan Ross PhD candidate Christina Bradley received the Organizational Behavior Division’s best dissertation paper award for the second year in a row and was also named a finalist for the Academy-wide Newman Award. A longtime member of the Sanger Research Lab, Christina credits the Lab with helping her develop both this research and her broader academic voice.
“Last year, I was able to practice my job talk and AoM presentations, and I received invaluable feedback from Lab members,” she said. “The sessions where we invite external faculty to share their work and offer advice to PhD students have also been a great way to connect with inspiring assistant professors and gain insight into the publication process.”
That kind of cross-institutional support was also noted by Tim Kundro, an assistant professor at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, who shared a working paper in a Lab session that has since been published. “We made more progress in an hour than our authorship team had made in a few days,” Tim said, reflecting on the depth and speed of feedback. “It’s not common to see full professors working alongside doctoral students in such a cordial and engaging way.”
The Lab’s structure—welcoming internal and external researchers, supporting early-stage ideas, and prioritizing community over competition—continues to help scholars sharpen their ideas and prepare for moments like AoM, where new thinking is tested and shared.
Faculty affiliated with the Lab were also recognized for their contributions to the field:
- Lindy Greer was named a finalist for the Conflict Management Division’s Most Influential Article Award for her 2018 Journal of Applied Psychology article on hierarchy in teams.
- Julia Lee Cunningham co-led an award-winning session through the Management Education and Development (MED) Division titled “The Pedagogy and Practice of Public Narrative: Enabling Leaders to Transform Shared Values Into Effective Collective Action.”
- Sue Ashford received the Most Influential Article Award from Administrative Science Quarterly.
- Aparna Joshi earned the 2025 Academy of Management Journal Impact Award for her research on the conditions that support the success of female CEOs.
Reflecting on the Lab’s growing influence, Justin Berg, associate professor at Michigan Ross and member of Sanger’s Faculty Advisory Board, shared:
“The Lab’s reach is broad, its impact real, and its future bright. It’s a place where ideas take root and where researchers get the kind of feedback that moves projects forward.”
As the Lab looks ahead to a new academic year, the momentum continues—with more sessions planned, more research in development, and a continued commitment to shaping the future of leadership scholarship.