This upcoming Fall '22 semester, Franklin University Switzerland is proud to welcome and introduce six new faculty members and recent appointments.
With research and teaching activities ranging from the behavior of political elites, and ethical use of dynamic pricing to social media data analysis, and constructive journalism, these scholars represent combined excellence across the liberal arts and sciences.
These new appointments will bring invigorate Franklin's Academic Divisions, and our institution will significantly benefit from their experience, expertise, and contributions in new directions, further fulfilling our research and educational mission.
"We are excited to welcome this new group of faculty. They each embody the idea of the teacher-scholar that helps make a Franklin education so effective" says Brack Hale, Interim Dean of Academic Affairs.
Professor Elisa Volpi will join Franklin as Assistant Professor of Comparative Politics in the Division of Communication, History and Politics (CHP). She holds a Ph.D. from the European University Institute in Florence, and previously served as the principal investigator in an SNSF-funded research project at the University of Geneva, where she also coordinated the Ph.D. program in Political Science. Her prior academic affiliations have include Collegio Carlo Alberto, the Université Libre de Bruxelles, and the University of Fribourg.
Her research focuses on political parties and party-switching, democratic institutions, and the behavior of political elites. Her work has been published in highly esteemed journals like the "European Journal of Political Research," "Party Politics," and "Parliamentary Affairs." She will be an academic advisor and will be teaching courses in Political Science and Comparative Politics, including a Fall '22 First Year Seminar on Politics through Pop Culture.
Professor Oliver Strijbis will also be joining the Division of Communication, History and Politics (CHP), as Affiliate Professor of Comparative Politics. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of St. Gallen and is currently an SNSF Professor at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Zurich. His prior academic affiliations have included, among others, University Carlos III of Madrid, the Social Science Research Center in Berlin (WZB), and the University of Hamburg.
His research focuses on elections and referenda, migration, nationalism, and the analysis of public policies. He has an extensive publication record with prestigious publishers and journals in the field and has gained significant experience in acquiring external funding over the last years. Prof. Strijbis will support the division both in terms of teaching and of developing programs at all levels.
Professor Mario D. Schultz holds a Ph.D. from the Università della Svizzera Italiana and will be joining the Division of Business and Economics (BE). He specializes in Corporate Social Responsibility and will contribute to the curriculum by offering courses, among others, in Business Ethics, Sustainability Management, Digital Transformation, and Artificial Intelligence. He will be an academic advisor and will be teaching a Fall '22 First Year Seminar entitled Sustainability and Digital Transformation. His interdisciplinary approach to teaching and research will greatly contribute to strengthen Franklin's management programs rooted in the liberal arts tradition.
His research deals with very timely and innovative topics such as the ethical use of algorithmic pricing, greenwashing, sustainable luxury management, and new conceptualizations of Corporate Social Responsibility in the digital age. His works have appeared in the leading academic journals of the field, including the "Journal of Business Ethics," "Business Ethics: a European Review," "AI and Ethics," and "AI & Society."
Professor Tatiana Balushkina holds a Ph.D. from the Bocconi University in Milan and also will be joining the Division of Business and Economics (BE). She specializes in Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior and Gender Difference. She will be teaching classes in Management Science, International Management, Organizational Design and Development, and Diversity Management, and will be an academic advisor.
Her recent research centers on the effect of personality traits and stereotypes on employees' decision-making, behavior, and performance employing. She brings expertise in social media data analysis using innovative methodologies.
Professor Lori Montross has been appointed the "Nora McNeely Hurley Associate Professor of Psychology." She will be Franklin’s first full-time faculty member in Psychology, from the Division of Environment, Mathematics, Psychology, and Health (EMPH), and she will hold Franklin’s first named professorship. With expertise in the fields of Positive Psychology and Health & Wellness, she fully embraces the vision of the McNeely Hurley Professorship for a “curriculum in Happiness and Wellness.” Dr. Montross earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Kentucky, with additional degrees from Arizona State University and Iowa State University.
Her most recent therapeutic and research work as a licensed psychologist in the State of California has been in the areas of palliative care, hospice, integrative medicine, dignity, and quality of life. Her academic affiliations have included the University of California in San Diego, California State University in San Marcos, the University of San Diego, and the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. She has been the author or co-author of nearly 50 peer-reviewed publications and has gathered over US$1 million in grant funding.
Professor Alessandro Martinisi will join Franklin as Assistant Professor of Communication and Media Studies in the Division of Communication, History and Politics (CHP). He holds a Ph.D. from the School of Media and Communication at the University of Leeds. Most recently he was a post-doctoral researcher and project coordinator at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication at Bournemouth University, UK.
His research focuses on emerging approaches to journalism such as data-driven journalism and constructive journalism, and his publications include "Statistics and the Quest for Quality Journalism: A Study in Quantitative Reporting," and "Overcoming the objectivity of the senses: Enhancing journalism practice through Eastern philosophies." He will bring his cutting-edge research and experiences as a media practitioner to teach a variety of courses including journalism, media strategies, and media production that are informed by theories and research.
Professor Martinisi will be an academic advisor. His Fall '22 First Year Seminar centers on You Will Make the Difference: the Power of Constructive Journalism in Media.
In addition to these six new hires, Franklin will welcome Professor Charles Burke in the Division of Environment, Mathematics, Psychology, and Health (EMPH) as Assistant Professor of Data Science in Spring '23.