UCSD - University of California - San Diego

09/29/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/29/2025 12:10

From Research to Real-World Impact: Meet Rady’s New Faculty

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September 29, 2025

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With research spanning from the psychology of financial decision-making to pricing strategy for digital platforms, and how AI can enhance healthcare operations, three new faculty at the University of California San Diego's Rady School of Management will undoubtedly carry out the school's commitment to addressing complex challenges in business and society.

Richard Faltings, Joe Gladstone, andPooyan Kazemianalso bring dynamic academic backgrounds and a wide range of professional experiences to Rady. Adding to this richness, they bring geographic diversity as well-Faltings originally from Switzerland, Gladstone from the United Kingdom, and Kazemian from Iran. They join the school from leading institutions on the East Coast and Midwest, further strengthening Rady's global perspective.

We asked each of them to share more about their work, what excites them about joining the Rady community, and what they look forward to in the year ahead.

Richard Faltings, Assistant Professor of Marketing

Richard Faltings

What is your home department?

Marketing

Please list your degrees and where you received them.

  • B.A. in economics, University of St. Gallen
  • M.A. in quantitative economics and finance, University of St. Gallen
  • Ph.D. in economics, University of Texas at Austin

What are your research interests?

I study the optimal design of digital platforms, focusing on pricing strategies and matching policies that help these marketplaces operate efficiently.

What drew you to your field of research?

The internet has created entirely new markets by dramatically lowering transaction and communication costs. But as economists have learned from centuries of studying traditional marketplaces, these digital platforms still need the right institutional policies to function well. I'm fascinated by translating those classic economic insights to these modern contexts.

How do you see your work connecting to students and the business world?

My research helps students and business leaders understand the economic trade-offs involved in platform design-particularly equilibrium effects, where a single policy change causes all market participants to adjust their behavior until a new balance is reached.

Which course will you be teaching at Rady, and what do you hope students take away from it?

I'll be teaching Pricing Analytics in the MSBA program. My goal is to give students both a rigorous theoretical foundation and practical empirical tools so they can make smart, data-driven pricing decisions in their careers.

What excites you most about joining the Rady School community?

As one of the younger business schools, Rady has an incredibly dynamic and forward-looking culture. That entrepreneurial spirit feels essential for navigating the rapidly evolving technological landscape.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love getting outdoors with my camera for photography and I stay active through cycling and Pilates.

Do you have a favorite show that you like to binge/stream?

Only Murders in the Building on Hulu. It's the perfect blend of clever comedy and genuinely touching character moments.

Joe Gladstone, Assistant Professor of Behavioral Sciences and Marketing

Joe Gladstone

What is your home department?

Marketing

Please list your degrees and where you received them

  • Ph.D. in marketing, University of Cambridge
  • M.Phil. in management, University of Cambridge
  • M.Sc. in psychology, University of Oxford
  • B.Sc. in psychology, University of Exeter

What are your research interests?

I study the psychology of financial decision-making-how people think about, feel about and manage their money in everyday life.

What drew you to your field of research?

Personal finance is one area where small behavioral changes can compound into life-changing outcomes. I'm passionate about helping people make better financial decisions that enhance their well-being and financial security.

How do you see your work connecting to students and the business world?

I collaborate directly with fintech companies to analyze transaction data and consumer behavior. This creates a natural bridge-students gain exposure to cutting-edge industry challenges while businesses benefit from behavioral insights that improve their products and services.

Which course will you be teaching at Rady, and what do you hope students take away from it?

I'm launching "The Behavioral Science of Money," a new course exploring how psychology shapes financial decisions. Students will gain practical insights for their personal finances while developing expertise valuable for careers in fintech and financial services innovation.

What excites you most about joining the Rady School community?

Rady's entrepreneurial spirit and ambition are infectious. As a young school, there's tremendous energy around building something special and pushing boundaries in business education.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Long bike rides, binging history and philosophy podcasts, and hosting dinner parties where friends debate big ideas over good food.

Do you have a favorite show that you like to binge/stream?

I'm more of a podcast person-my current favorites are "The Rest Is History," "Making Sense with Sam Harris," and "The 80,000 Hours Podcast" (which I highly recommend to students interested in high-impact careers).

Pooyan Kazemian, Assistant Professor of Innovation, Technology and Operations

Pooyan Kazemian

What is your home department?

Innovation, Technology, and Operations

Please list your degrees and where you received them.

  • B.S. in industrial engineering, University of Tehran
  • M.S. in industrial and systems engineering, Rutgers University
  • Ph.D. in industrial and operations engineering, University of Michigan

What are your research interests?

My research lies at the intersection of machine learning, artificial intelligence , and optimization modeling, with a focus on applications in healthcare management. My research aims to improve healthcare operations, personalize and guide medical decision-making, and inform public health policy, with the overarching goal of improving health outcomes while lowering costs.

What drew you to your field of research?

When I began my graduate studies, I was fascinated by operations management as a discipline, by its ability to optimize processes, improve efficiency and solve complex problems. But I hadn't fully realized the profound potential that operations management could have in healthcare until I experienced hospitals and the emergency room as a patient. Enduring long waiting times, facing poor continuity of care and encountering fragmented healthcare processes was an eye-opening experience for me. It was an epiphany that fundamentally changed the way I viewed the potential of operations management. I realized that the tools and methods we develop aren't just abstract models. They can directly impact people's lives by improving access to care, enhancing the quality of care, and making healthcare systems more efficient and effective. That experience sparked my interest in healthcare management research and inspired me to focus my work on tackling some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare, not just as an academic pursuit but as a personal mission.

How do you see your work connecting to students and the business world?

Healthcare is a massive and complex industry where better analytics and decision-making can make a tangible difference. By engaging students in this space, my work connects them to real-world challenges with high societal impact and prepares them to apply analytical methods across industries and business contexts.

Which course will you be teaching at Rady, and what do you hope students take away from it?

I will be teaching two new courses in the MSBA program. In Winter, I will offer a new course on Healthcare Analytics that covers both predictive and prescriptive methods for healthcare management. In Spring, I will teach a new course on Optimization Modeling, in which students will learn how to frame and solve complex business problems using mathematical optimization. My goal is for students to leave these courses with the confidence and skills to tackle real-world challenges with advanced analytics.

What excites you most about joining the Rady School community?

Rady offers a vibrant and collaborative environment where innovation, analytics and business meet. I am particularly excited about the opportunity to work with exceptional colleagues and students, and to engage with San Diego's dynamic healthcare and biotech ecosystem. This unique setting provides an ideal platform for translating research into real-world impact.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, exercising, playing basketball, and baking. I am also an avid soccer fan and have been a Manchester United supporter for 27 years. I rarely miss a Manchester United match!

Do you have a favorite show that you like to binge/stream?

My favorite show is Friends! It is a classic, timeless, and always fun to re-watch.

For more information on the Rady School of Management's faculty, go to the Rady School Faculty and Research website.

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UCSD - University of California - San Diego published this content on September 29, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 29, 2025 at 18:10 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]