AI Dissertation Proposal Competition Submission Details
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Building a Better Future Through Business and AI
AI has emerged as a transformative force, reshaping industries, economies, and societies at an unprecedented pace. The exponential growth of AI technologies offers new opportunities and challenges for businesses worldwide, enabling enhanced decision-making, efficiency, and innovation. As such, AI itself is a critical topic that warrants rigorous study by business researchers to understand its potential impacts. At the same time, AI also represents an important tool that can advance scholarly research across business disciplines. At Mays, we are committed to leveraging AI’s capabilities to produce impactful research that explores AI’s transformative possibilities and informs positive change to build a better future.
To that end, Mays Business School invites doctoral students to submit their dissertation research related to AI across the fields of accounting, finance, information systems and supply chain, management, and marketing for its inaugural “Best Dissertation Proposals in AI Business Research” Competition.
This first-of-its-kind competition will present six awards:
- Best Dissertation Proposal in AI and Accounting
- Best Dissertation Proposal in AI and Finance
- Best Dissertation Proposal in AI and Information Systems
- Best Dissertation Proposal in AI and Supply Chain Management
- Best Dissertation Proposal in AI and Management
- Best Dissertation Proposal in AI and Marketing
The six awardees will be brought together at Mays Business School to present a concise, impactful talk highlighting their pioneering AI research. This will provide an opportunity for the award winners to share their work, connect with faculty and students, and network with one another as emerging leaders in AI business research.
How the Competition Works
Submissions due by June 1, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. CDT
Applicants must have defended their dissertation proposal by June 1, 2026, and maintain enrollment in a doctoral program at an accredited business school through the Fall 2026 semester.
Apply NowCompetition Overview
- Six total awards will be presented
- Methodological or empirical dissertations leveraging AI techniques/methods or studying AI’s impacts in the respective business fields will be considered
- Award winners will visit campus to present their research September 24-26, 2026
Submission Requirements
- 3,000-word maximum dissertation proposal summary (12 pt. font, 1″ margins) without any identifying student information
- A separate dissertation abstract (150 words)
- Student CV
- Nomination letter from dissertation chair confirming the dissertation proposal has been successfully defended and providing a dissertation completion timeline and anticipated graduation date
- Submissions are open only for students in US accredited business schools
Evaluation Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of expert faculty judges based on:
- Theoretical and methodological rigor
- Potential contribution to the field
- Innovativeness of the research
For any questions, please email AIcompetition@mays.tamu.edu.
Awards
- $10,000 prize for each award
- Commemorative award plaque
- Travel funding to present about their dissertation at Mays Business School in Fall 2026
- Opportunity to network with Mays faculty and PhD students as well as other award recipients
Submission Deadline: June 1, 2026, by 11:59 PM CDT.
To learn more about the current research at Mays Business School, visit Research at Mays.
Make Your Next Big Move
Complete your submission today and be part of the next generation of AI in business.