Ajay Aluri

Dr. Aluri is a Founding Director of the Hospitality Innovation and Technology (HIT) Lab and Associate Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management at John Chambers College of Business and Economics, West Virginia University. He is an internationally recognized scholar, speaker, and thought leader in the fields of hospitality innovation and technology. Dr. Aluri’s academic and research expertise combines all areas of his education, research interests, and focus in the areas of hospitality information technology and management and information systems, and how these areas impact international hospitality organizations, society, and education. His current focus is consumer behavior research regarding the use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, data mining, Internet of Things, robotics, and virtual reality.

Dr. Aluri will continue to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology at West Virginia University and beyond. As part of his proposal, he would like to introduce a new interdisciplinary course in the Chambers College: Hospitality Business, Innovation, and Technology. Using the WVU HIT Lab as a platform, students will explore current innovations and new strategies of innovation, entrepreneurship opportunities, and technology needs to solve current and future problems of the hospitality and tourism industry.