Alfred University contingent attends 2025 SNAS Interdisciplinary Conference

Some Alfred University faculty and students presented at the recent Society of North American Scholars (SNAS) Interdisciplinary Conference. Shown above, from left, are: Halil Zaim, associate professor of management and associate dean of the College of Business; Sabahaddin Zaim, Halil Zaim's son; Yavuz Keceli, associate professor of information systems; sophomore Mahina Elchibekova; junior Sophia SymesLatini; and Ali Coskun, associate professor of accounting.

Halil Zaim, associate professor of management and associate dean of the College of Business, was among a group of Alfred University faculty and students who attended the fourth annual Society of North American Scholars (SNAS) Interdisciplinary Conference, held Oct. 10 at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ.

SNAS is a nonprofit organization initiated by a network of United States scholars, which aims to foster socially responsible scholarship by providing global mentorship, organizing academic conferences and workshops, and publishing reports, proceedings, and scholarly work. SNAS activities facilitate sustainable and ethical research practices that lead to social impact. The theme of the SNAS Interdisciplinary Conference was the emergence of data-driven technologies and their profound impact on human development.

A paper co-authored by Halil Zaim and his daughter, Nur Hatice Zaim, titled "Analyzing the Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Organizational Performance: The Mediating Role of Design Thinking," was presented by Mahina Elchibekova, a sophomore double-major in mechanical engineering and business administration. Mahina also co-authored the paper, which analyzes how design thinking boosts organizational performance if effectively integrated into AI.

There were three other presentations from the Alfred University attendees.

Sophia SymesLatini, a junior accounting and health care planning and management major, presented a paper titled "The Evolving Role of the Auditor in the Age of Artificial Intelligence," co-authored with and supervised by Ali Coskun, associate professor of accounting.

Yavuz Keceli, associate professor of information systems, presented a paper he co-authored with Diana Maguire, professor of management and leadership, titled "A Comparative Analysis of Student and Generative Artificial Intelligence Responses to Assignments in Higher Education."

Halil Zaim and his son, Sabahaddin Zaim, presented a paper titled "Artificial Intelligence as a Mediator Between Organizational Commitment and Employee Performance."