PhD Graduates Scale Mountains in Search of Academic Excellence

At the 2024 HEC Commencement Ceremony, the experiences, challenges, and triumphs of the school’s PhD graduates were celebrated with appropriate tears and whoops. They highlighted these scholars’ unique journeys and the support they received from their mentors and peers. The culmination of a PhD journey is a blend of relief, pride, and anticipation. For the graduates of HEC Paris, this milestone represented not just the conclusion of years of rigorous academic pursuit but also the beginning of their new roles as contributors to global knowledge.

“A PhD is humbling”. With these words, Bianca Crivellini summed up her six-year odyssey towards a doctorate which stood out as much for its approach – a two-year ethnographic study in Milan – as its subject matter – professionals in the day, drag queens at night. “Most of the time, when you think you have had a brilliant idea, you study the literature for weeks, only to find that, ‘Damn, they have already thought of that,’” she continued. With the calm and lucidity of a scholar who spent her previous decade working as a lawyer, Crivellini was sharing her experience with the almost 4,000 capacity crowd in the marquee specially set up for HEC’s graduation ceremony. “The very concept of research is to build on the ideas of other scientists, living and dead, so that others might build on yours. It is never really about just you. Your brilliant idea will never change the world on its own. In a place like HEC, even the teaching part of the PhD is quite humbling: you are exchanging with the brightest students in the world - trust me, it is not a piece of cake to be your teachers!”

Bianca Crivellini sharing her six-year odyssey with 3,700 people under the marquee

Bianca Crivellini’s doctoral research has been an extraordinary and compelling exploration of identity. The Italian spent two years in Milan studying the complexity of a group of professionals who also perform as drag queens. Her ethnographic approach reveals an identity deliberately kept at a distance from one’s other identities, what she calls “distal identity”. These professionals/drag queens use their distal identities as “identity laboratories” for experimentation. Crivellini concludes that such distal characteristics can contribute to resilience in times of extreme stress. Her work offers valuable insights into what she calls “ever-evolving selves and learning from the outer reaches of who we are.”

Precious Advice from PhD Director

The pomp and ceremony of this June 7 graduation contrasted with a lighthearted and informal cocktail organized a few hours earlier. It was for the eight doctoral and nine pre-doctoral students (the latter receiving a Master after their third year at HEC) to celebrate their graduation with friends, family, professors and fellow students. Johan Hombert, the director of the PhD program at the school, delivered a heartfelt speech acknowledging the graduates' hard work and perseverance. He noted the ups and downs of their journey, comparing it to a bumpy ride that finally leads to a rewarding destination.

Hombert’s parting advice to the graduates was both practical and insightful: to find happiness in the small victories along the way. This approach, celebrating milestones throughout the process, he said, helps sustain motivation and joy in an academic career that is often marked by long, drawn-out efforts. The finance professor was also quick to praise the entourage of each doctoral student, who spent long years supporting their close-of-kin.

Isabella Ciampa: A Tale of Creativity and Academic Rigor

Isabella Ciampa’s story is one of exceptional achievement. Completing her PhD in just five years, the Italian managed the rare feat of seeing the prestigious Psychology & Marketing journal publish her research article on the very day of her graduation. Ciampa’s study was supervised by the Dean of Degree Programs, Professor Kristine de Valck, who cosigned her A-publication paper on gift systems within digital platforms in which consumers actively engage in content creation. Ciampa’s academic focus has been on creativity from the consumer’s perspective, examining how digital communities foster creative expression.

What makes Ciampa even more unusual is her background. In parallel with her academics studies, she has been a successful fantasy novelist who will continue to make young Italian adults project imaginary worlds through her prose: “Yeah, I write novels,” said the author of “Il Canto delle Spade”, with disarming modesty. “ Actually, I still have a book contract in Italy. I like to write, and I guess it helped with the academic writing here. My supervisor Kristine and I worked a lot on refining the writing skills in order to make them more academic. At the beginning , I was told that my papers read like a novel. And so I had to digest a lot of academic papers, it was a matter of learning and mimicking others scholars. And now I enjoy it because academic writing has a different kind of rigor, it follows certain lines of thoughts that are always the same.”

The symbiotic relationship between Ciampa creative and academic endeavors showcased how diverse writing skills can enhance scholarly work. Her recent appointment as an assistant professor at the University of Birmingham is a testament to this talent and the quality of her research. Professor Kristine de Valck, a mentor to several graduates, took advantage of the celebratory cocktail to share insights into the attributes for Ciampa’s successful PhD journey. “As Isabella has shown, it’s vital to develop your writing skills, creativity, and the ability to adapt. Isabella has a big advantage over many scholars, she writes fast and she has no problem rewriting her texts, something which academics sometimes have difficulties with.”

In the course of these five years, De Valck’s mentorship extended beyond academic guidance, fostering a supportive and encouraging environment for her doctoral student. Her role as both a mentor and a co-author illustrates the collaborative spirit of academic research at the business school, where supervisors and students work together to push the boundaries of knowledge.

Daria Morozova: Exploring AI and Creativity

Another doctorate graduate with an uncommon PhD story is Daria Morozova. Her journey took her to an academic post at Leiden University, The Netherlands, before enjoying her graduation ceremony. After a year as a permanent assistant professor, she returned to the Jouy campus with a more wizened vision of this passage of rite. “The strong network I built here continue to influence my professional life positively. And also some of the values like being bold and courageous in taking difficult decisions.” Such values encouraged the Russian scholar to transform her field of research on Artificial Intelligence and creativity towards exploring broader questions about what it means to be human in the age of AI. Nowadays, Morozova’s work examines the implications of AI on human creativity, a topic that has become increasingly relevant as technology continues to advance. Being present to receive her diploma at HEC turned a symbolic page for her. “It feels like a final farewell because I didn't receive the diploma last year. This experience will always be with me, This is something that brings a beautiful era to an end. So, I think I'm going to be a bit emotional when I receive my doctoral diploma from my alma mater.” Incidentally, another talent Morozova has discovered since she left HEC for Leiden is her talent as a standup comedian.

Marcus Bak-Hansen: Navigating Financial Markets

On this sunny graduation day, Markus Bak-Hansen also shared his reflections on the PhD journey he’s enjoyed since 2019. Over five years, the Dane delved into the complexities of financial rules and the diverse players in financial markets. Despite not having any publications yet, Bak-Hansen expressed optimism about future contributions, likening the expected output to a "tsunami of research articles," he said, tongue-in-cheek. Bak-Hansen’s recent decision to join the Bank of England as a researcher highlights a blend of academic and practical aspirations. Bak-Hansen aims to gain insights from real-world financial markets while continuing his academic endeavors. This move exemplifies how PhD graduates can leverage their expertise in both academic and professional settings, enriching both spheres with their insights.

Rich Pickings from the Wine Industry

The other PhD graduates at the cocktail reflected the diversity of subject matter and approaches HEC has nurtured. Camille Doche’s research focused on the use by organizations of collective resources which are sometimes even shared with competitors. Her explorations focused on France’s wine cooperatives. The French academic’s work contributes significantly to strategy research and she will continue to explore this important field from her new base at ESCP Turin.

Madhulika Kaul, meanwhile, will bring her knowhow to Bayes Business School in London. The Indian scholar has been examining the role of digital platforms as private regulators. Finally, Dan Xie hopes to prolong her research by understanding the multifaceted nature of social influence on consumer behavior. The Chinese graduate has been integrating ecological systems theory with consumer behavior research and believes her conclusions offer practical implications for businesses and policymakers.

Investigating Platform Acquisitions and Social Networks

A relatively new feature of the PhD graduation ceremony this year was the inclusion of students still working on their doctorate. Deepak Haran, a third-year PhD candidate in the strategy department, obtained his Master at the June ceremony, alongside eight other doctoral candidates in his year. The Indian scholar is researching platform acquisitions. Haran’s work examines why and when platform-based companies, like Uber and Google, acquire other companies, a topic that has significant societal and economic implications. His research underlines the importance of understanding the strategic moves of platform companies.

Julian Chitiva, meanwhile, has been applying game theory to social networks. As he enters his fourth year, the Colombian reflected on the significance of this graduation ceremony as a milestone in his academic career. His enthusiasm for running marathons mirrors his approach to his PhD journey, emphasizing the need for stamina and perseverance.

Conclusion: A Celebration of Achievement and Potential

The Commencement Ceremony at HEC Paris was more than just a formal event; it was a celebration of the resilience, dedication, and intellectual curiosity of the PhD graduates. As they step into new roles across the globe, these graduates carry with them the skills, knowledge, and experiences gained at HEC Paris. Their stories reflect a blend of personal and professional growth, underscoring the transformative power of a PhD journey. From researching financial markets to exploring the impact of AI on creativity, these graduates are poised to make significant contributions to their fields and to society at large.