The Collins College of Hospitality Management brought faculty scholarship to the forefront with its first Collins College Research Forum on Feb. 3.
Designed, facilitated and organized by James A. Collins Distinguished Professor Wan Yang, the forum created a collegewide platform to showcase research supported by Collins Research Grants and strengthen a growing culture of scholarship within the college.
“The first Collins College Research Forum was envisioned as a way to make our faculty scholarship more visible within our own community,” Yang said. “We have outstanding researchers doing insightful, industry-relevant work, and this forum created a space to showcase those cutting-edge findings beyond the traditional classroom setting.”
Six faculty members presented projects exploring some of the industry’s most pressing questions, including artificial intelligence in tourism, digital platform performance, leadership in hospitality, career adaptability and the influence of social media.
- Myong Jae Lee, Ph.D: Tourists and artificial intelligence–LLM interaction: the power of forgiveness
- Patrick Lee, D.B.A.: Career adaptability in the new hospitality work paradigm
- Zhenxing (Eddie) Mao, Ph.D: Investigating the effects of digital platform participation on B&B performance: An organizational learning perspective
- Kelly Min, Ph.D: How and when supervisors' emotional display serves as role models in the hospitality industry: a social learning perspective
- Jie (Jamie) Sun, Ph.D: The impact of social media influencer's age cue on older adults' travel intention: The moderating roles of travel cues and travel constraints
- Andrew Yoon, Ph.D: Beneficial bander: How chit-chat and self-oriented perfectionism influence feelings of energy and burnout
For students, the forum offered a deeper look at how Collins faculty are shaping conversations across a $4.7 trillion global industry.
“Research is not just about publication — it’s about inquiry, collaboration, and translating ideas into impact,” Yang said. “By bringing grant-supported projects into a shared forum, we’re building a culture where scholarship is more visible, more connected and more accessible.”
Rooted in Collins’ hands-on approach, the forum expands what it means to learn by doing. It connects classroom learning with discovery, innovation and real-world influence, reinforcing the college’s role in preparing leaders who will shape hospitality in Los Angeles and beyond.
“I hope students walk away recognizing that their professors are actively shaping conversations in the hospitality and tourism industry, and that research is a fun, living, evolving process — one they can be part of,” Yang said.
As its inaugural event, the Research Forum laid the foundation for a new Collins tradition, one that elevates faculty scholarship and strengthens community through shared curiosity.
