How Can (A)I Help You?
AI that reads emotions can handle customer complaints, but it sometimes needs human assistance
News
Texas McCombs BBA Ranks No. 6, Nation’s Leader in Top 10 Specialties
McCombs' undergraduate program lands at No. 6, with 12 business specialties ranking in the top 10
KBH Energy Center Symposium Draws Record Crowd, Features Industry Leaders
The 2025 Energy Symposium at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Energy Center broke prior attendance records for the event and featured conversations with leaders from across the industry
Better Messaging Can Fight Cancer, Save Lives
Peer-driven messages boost cervical cancer screening for at-risk women
McCombs MBA Program Takes High Ranks
McCombs’ full-time MBA continues to hit high marks in the 2026 QS World University rankings
McCombs M.S. Programs Take High Ranks
Three master’s programs at McCombs continue to hit high marks in the 2026 QS World University rankings
Brumley Institute for Graduate Entrepreneurship
Jon Brumley Texas Venture Labs announces name change to reflect expanded vision
When Work Teams Flourish, Productivity Increases
Respect, sense of purpose drive high-performing teams, global data shows
Board Launches With Sports Luminaries
McCombs’ Business of Sports Institute appoints 29 industry leaders to inaugural advisory board
A Special Thank-You!
Thank you to all the faculty who participated in the faculty and staff momentum on Aug. 14. A special thanks to Dean Lillian Mills, Ethan Burris, Caitlin Mullaney, and the entire dean’s office team.
Upcoming Research Events
Join us throughout the month of September for upcoming research events, lunches and seminars.
Awards
Thank you to everyone who participated in the April 4 research luncheon "Both Sides Now: Applying and Selecting for Research Positions in 2025." Participants discussed what it’s like to compete and succeed in the external job market.
Research Funding Opportunities
The Call for Fall 2025 McCombs Research Excellence Grants Call for Proposals and McCombs Undergraduate Research Assistant Program
Happiness and Grief Are a Paradox Worth Embracing
If you are reading this while carrying the weight of loss, I want to begin by acknowledging something important: Grief is not a flaw to be corrected. It is the natural, human price we pay for having loved …
Good Grief
By far my worst day as a professional educator was my first class after 9/11. It wasn’t because of my uniquely held emotions. Like everyone, I was shocked, confused, angry, and incredibly sad. It was because of what I did, or rather, because of what I didn’t do …
Ph.D. Student Spotlight
Arun Datta is finishing his dissertation in strategic management at McCombs.
Not All Subsidiaries Are Treated Equally
Parent companies fine-tune ownership structures to match competitive needs
Dynamic Pricing Can Optimize Profits but Alienate Customers
To avoid buyer backlash, companies need guardrails for using algorithms to set prices
Lowering Commissions Can Slow Home Sales
Real estate agents steer buyers away from properties that pay less than local going rates
Only Some Emotions Help Posts Go Viral
Not all feelings are created equal when it comes to sharing on social media
KBH Energy Center To Host Symposium
Experts will convene in Austin to explore the future of US energy
McCombs MBA Hits 2 Top 10 Lists
McCombs takes high marks for campus environment and marketing in The Princeton Review’s 2025 rankings.
Driving Assistance Systems Could Backfire
Some warning alerts can lead to more hazardous driving
MIS Junior Expands Audience With Tips on Life and Jobs
By sharing advice about college and career, Tanmya Tripathi, a management information systems junior, has gathered over 130,000 followers on…
UT Alumni Tie the Knot in Antarctica
When most people think “destination wedding,” they imagine tropical resorts or European rivieras, but Eric Sun, BBA ’20, and Jennifer…
Promotions, Honors, Awards
Promotions, Honors, Awards
Houston Rodeo, Business Outlook, Mentorship Dinner, Upcoming Alumni Events
Houston Rodeo, Business Outlook, Mentorship Dinner, Upcoming Alumni Events
The M.D. Has An MBA
Jon Trujillo, left, and Justin Jensen are students at Dell Medical School and are also pursuing MBAs at Texas McCombs.…
A Pioneering Legacy
A Pioneering Legacy Santa Rita No. 1 Birthed The Biggest US Oil Field And Continues To Inspire Growth And Transformation…
Energy Innovators
Energy Innovators, Made in Texas McCOMBS Alumni Lead on Energy’s Latest Developments: Generating It, Storing It, Cleaning It Up by…
Energizing His Next Chapter
Chris Bake, BBA ’88, enjoyed a high-voltage career and now helps future energy leaders get a global perspective by Omar…
Retirement Is About Confidence as Well as Money
Feeling financially savvy is as important as actually being savvy, when it comes to easing retirement anxiety
Alumni Notes
Update US Please send your updates to alumni@mccombs.utexas.edu for publication in the next issue of McCombs magazine. Feel free to…
Fueling Academic Excellence
Innovation is steeped in our DNA at McCombs and The University of Texas at Austin. I sometimes wonder whether we…
Senior’s Mental Health Venture Is Named a Top Disruptive Startup
Poets & Quants has named Cura, the project of Texas McCombs senior Aakriti Kamal, one of the 29 Most Disruptive…
11 Faculty Members to Receive Promotions for Fall Semester
Interim UT President Jim Davis has recommended 11 members of the faculty at Texas McCombs to the UT System Board…
Texas McCombs Presents Awards to Faculty for Teaching, Research
During the Spring 2025 faculty meeting, the McCombs School Business recognized the teaching and research achievements of its faculty members.…
McCombs Researcher Contributes to AI Best-Practices Publication
Gizem Yalcin Williams, an assistant professor of marketing, is one of more than a dozen leading researchers whose work was…
Accounting Faculty Member To Lead Board Of Trade Magazine
The Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TXCPA) announced in May that Derrick Bonyuet, clinical assistant professor of accounting, had been…
McCombs by the Numbers
Worldwide rank of McCombs faculty research in the Financial Times’ Global MBA Rankings for 2025, jumping 10 spots for a historic high
20 Years of Tax Prep Help
McCombs accounting students mark a milestone in preparing income tax returns in service to the community By Ben Wright “This…
The Bold Place Bets on the VIX
For investors who can stomach the risk, Wall Street’s ‘fear index’ leads to potential gains
To Shape Tech Standards, Cooperate With Competitors
Companies can influence new standards in their favor by offering benefits to other players in an ecosystem
12th Annual Executive Mentorship Dinner
Event fosters connections between alumni and students
When Credit Is Low, Car Dealers Offer a Break
Rather than exploiting buyers with low credit scores, dealers lose an average of $301 arranging loans to them
Guiding Doctors in the Age of AI
To avoid burnout and medical mistakes, health care organizations should train physicians in AI-assisted decision-making
M.S. in Finance Program Hits No. 4 in U.S.
The Texas Master of Science in Finance takes top 10 status in both the Financial Times and
Financial Engineer Times
2025 McCombs Scholarship Appreciation Event
Life-changing support took center stage at the luncheon for scholarship recipients and donors