Susan Stead

Dr. Susan Stead is an Assistant Professor at the Institute for Technology and Innovation Management (TIM) within the Faculty of Business and Economics at RWTH Aachen University. She leads the Healthcare Innovation Lab and Digital Responsibility & Innovation Lab, focusing on customer/patient experiences, service design, and AI applications in healthcare. Her career spans roles at Maastricht University (2014-2020), including project leadership, mentoring, and teaching in service design and innovation management.

• Education:
  • M.Sc. in International Business (Strategic Marketing), Maastricht University
  • B.BA. in International Business, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences
  • Ph.D. in Service Design and Innovation (2020), Maastricht University
  • Research engagement at Bishop’s University (Quebec) and practical experience at NorthSouth GIS (Wellington)

Her research integrates qualitative and quantitative analysis using tools like SPSS, SmartPLS, and Leximancer 4.0, with data from Web of Science, PubMed, and primary sources such as interviews and co-creation workshops. Recent publications address AI in emergency care (Ärzteblatt, 2024), gamification (Journal of Service Research, 2023), and multisensory customer experiences (Journal of Service Research, 2020).

Stead collaborates across disciplines, including co-authored works with researchers like Dominik Mahr and Gaby Odekerken-Schröder, and contributes to understanding digital transformation, ethical AI, and smart hospital frameworks.