Gala shared knowledge in teaching effectiveness and ideas for professional development.
Prachi Gala, assistant professor of marketing in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, presented on teaching practices in principles of marketing course and on the transition from a graduate student to a tenure track teaching position during the Marketing Management Association’s (MMA) 24th Annual Fall Educators’ Conference held Sept. 18-20 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Gala served as session chair for a panel she arranged that discussed engaging techniques for topics in principles of marketing courses. Top faculty from three different universities participated including Gopal Ganesh from the University of North Texas, C. Shane Hunt from Arkansas State University, and Kevin McEvoy from the University of Connecticut.
The panel addressed the following topics: global marketing; strategic marketing; market research; segmentation, targeting and marketing; consumer behavior; product strategy and branding; new product development; distribution strategy/marketing channels; retailing; advertising; sales and promotion; social media marketing and marketing metrics.
Gala also presented a paper she co-authored, “The Journey of a PhD: The Transition from Grad Student to Tenure Track Faculty and the Three-Legged Stool.” Gala and co-authors Frank Tillman of The University of Mississippi and Derek Ezell of Lander University conducted interviews to answer the following questions: What advice can you provide regarding the transition from graduate student to tenure-track professor? How do tenure-track professors navigate the balance between research, teaching and service (RTS)?
Gala discussed how the transition process from student to faculty is experienced in many different ways depending on individual expectations and capabilities. She also spoke on the importance for potential faculty members to understand the balancing act that all must perfect concerning RTS.
The MMA has a history of showcasing cutting-edge marketing thought, presented by both practitioners and academicians. The MMA meets twice each year, including a Spring Conference held in Chicago to discuss groundbreaking scholarly research and a Fall Educators’ Conference to share knowledge in teaching effectiveness and ideas for professional development.