The Center Co-directors

• Dr. Kiseol Yang (Professor in the Department of Merchandising and Digital Retailing) Dr. Yang holds M.S. and Ph.D. in Retail and Consumer Sciences from University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Her research and teaching interests are centered on agile innovation that empowers academia and industry in this fast-paced global society. She creates a leap in value and accelerates the process of innovation by reconfiguring sustainable academic and business models through open innovation. She published numerous research and ranked in the world’s top 2 % most cited researchers in 2019 and 2020 based on the C index.
• Dr. Han Wen (Associate Professor in the Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management). Dr. Wen earned her Ph.D. degree in Hospitality Administration from Kansas State University, and her master's degree of Hotel and Restaurant Management from University of Houston. Dr. Wen’s research focus areas include foodservice management, food safety and food allergy in restaurants. She has received several research grants and research awards since she joined UNT in 2016.)

Undergraduate Research Director

• Dr. Judith C. Forney (Professor in the Department of Merchandising and Digital Retailing). Dr. Forney served as a director of research, in UNT’s Global Digital Retailing Research Center. Forney has held faculty and administrative appointments at UNT and San Francisco State University and an administrative appointment at Auburn University. She holds the Ph.D. in Consumer Sciences and Retailing and a B.S. from Purdue University where she is a distinguished alum, and a M.A. from Ball State University. In her 20 years as Dean at UNT, and as CMHT’s founding dean, Forney focused on developing innovative programs, enriching student experiences, expanding international partnerships, and promoting applied research relevant to retail, hospitality and tourism industries. Her scholarship examines how value orientations