The University of Evansville has been awarded a Ball Brothers Foundation Venture Fund Grant of $22,000 for its newly instituted Neuromarketing Research Center. Through the Neuromarketing Research Center, interdisciplinary student teams serve clients by testing responses to various marketing elements and tactics using leading-edge neuroscience techniques.
“The Neuromarketing Research Center is a great example of the interdisciplinary training that occurs at the University of Evansville,†says UE associate professor of psychology Lora Becker.
UE assistant professor of marketing Atefeh Yazdanparast explains that neuromarketing is a relatively new research discipline that combines neuroscience with marketing.
“This emerging field goes beyond traditional tools of research and focuses on consumers’ reactions to marketing stimuli. We are proud to equip our students with neuromarketing research techniques, a valuable competitive edge in today’s dynamic and highly competitive market.â€
The Neuromarketing Center is a part of the University’s successful GAP program in which undergraduates of all majors obtain real-world experience and build professional confidence while producing real results for actual companies. Clients gain access to innovative tools and techniques and fresh perspectives. This unique program prepares UE students and area businesses for global leadership, citizenry, and success.
“Students and their business clients will both benefit from the unique insights delivered through this innovative approach,†says UE vice president of marketing Don Jones. “The Neuromarketing Research Center will facilitate the convergence of the latest ideas from neuroscience applied to the most challenging opportunities for business.â€
The program will also soon offer opportunities for UE faculty and students to engage in neuromarketing research on a global level. Yazdanparast (marketing), Becker (neuroscience), and UE executive director for the Institute of Global Enterprise Jill Griffin (marketing/international business) will kick off this global research with initial work in Australia, China, and Germany this year.
The Ball Venture Fund was created in 1999 to enable the Ball Brothers Foundation to take an active role in encouraging and supporting creative efforts at Indiana’s independent colleges and universities. The program, administered by the Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI), provides seed money for innovative start-up programs at ICI member institutions.
