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Dr. Will Zhao is a Limited Duties (Visiting) Faculty at Ivey Business School, where he leads and develops cases on Entrepreneurship and New Ventures. At his home institution, the University of Waterloo, Dr. Zhao is an Associate Professor of Organization & Human Behavior in the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business, with cross-appointments to both the Department of Management Science and Engineering and the Department of Systems Design Engineering. He earned his PhD from the French Grande École EMLYON Business School and completed postdoctoral research at Stanford University as a SCANCOR scholar.
Dr. Zhao's research in Human-Centered Innovation explores how artistic sensibilities and ethical reflection can shape technological development in ways that promote human well-being. His interdisciplinary approach combines linguistic and semiotic analysis, arts-based and embodied methods, and computational techniques, including machine learning and data analytics. His research focuses on organizational innovation, emerging technology governance, and the application of AI/XR systems across creative practice, education, healthcare, and finance sectors.
Recognized for excellence in both teaching and research throughout his career, Dr. Zhao bridges academic rigor with entrepreneurial practice. He has extensive experience advising startups from ideation to scale and consulting with large organizations on innovation strategy and the adoption and governance of emerging technologies. This deep practice in venture creation and organizational transformation directly informs his scholarship and pedagogy, creating learning experiences that integrate theoretical frameworks with real-world entrepreneurial challenges.