A group of students and faculty from the Alfred University College of Business presented their research at the 2026 International Business Analytics Conference (IBAC), hosted May 7 and 8 by SUNY Fredonia.
Sophomore Amina Shamshibayeva (left) and first-year Vladyslava Makarenko placed second in the Undergraduate Posters competition at the 2026 International Business Analytics Conference.
IBAC 2026, hosted each year by SUNY Fredonia, provides a unique platform that bridges the gap between academic and industry expertise in the field of business/data analytics through Academia-Industry Partnership. By bringing together industry practitioners and academicians, the conference facilitates meaningful discussions and foster collaboration in the ever-evolving world of business analytics.
The conference welcomed submissions on a wide range of topics related to research and current industry use of business or data analytics, focusing on but not limited to the fields of Accounting, Business and Management, Computer Science/Management Information Systems, Economics, Finance and Insurance, Education, Healthcare, Marketing, Music and Entertainment, and Sport Management.
Vladyslava Makarenko, first-year business analytics major, and Amina Shamshibayeva, sophomore finance major, presented their research titled, "Does Ethical Leadership Mediate the Relationship between AI Adoption and ESG Performance in Organizational Settings?" at the Undergraduate Posters competition. The pair, whose faculty mentor was Halil Zaim, associate professor of management, took second place in the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award competition.
Hana Alaghband, junior data analytics/computer science double major, and Jeshika Sharma, sophomore business administration and management major, also gave a full presentation on their research titled "Fashion Retail Analytics: An Innovative Statistical Investigation of Customer Behavior and Seasonal Sales Patterns" at an Emerging Scholars session of the conference. Ayush Sengupta, assistant professor of analytics and J. Henry Smith Chair of Business and Administration, served as the students’ faculty mentor.
Natalie Farchione, MBA student, Jack Meyer, senior data analytics major, Caleb Raughley, senior data analytics/computer science double major, and Alina Zabihailo, senior business administration/data analytics/music major, presented their undergraduate posters, after a competitive selection process.
The group from Alfred University participating in the 2026 International Business Analytics Conference included (from left): Ayush Sengupta, assistant professor of analytics and J. Henry Smith Chair of Business and Administration in the College of Business; Jean Ellefson, assistant professor of analytics, students Caleb Raughley, Jack Meyer, Amina Shamshibayeva, Vladyslava Makarenko, Natalie Farchione, Alina Zabihailo, Jeshika Sharma, and Hana Alaghband; and Shelly Freyn, associate professor of marketing.
During the session on Business Analytics and Decision-Making, Jean Ellefson, assistant professor of analytics—who coordinated student participation in the event—presented her research titled, "Who is Pursuing Side Gigs? Insights from the 2021 NFCS.” Sengupta presented his research titled, "The Societal Impact of Ridesharing Through Gig-Economy Employment: Opportunities and Equality," during the session on Applied Economics.
