Bill Rand

Bill Rand is the McLauchlan Distinguished Professor of Marketing and Analytics at North Carolina State University's Poole College of Management, serving as Executive Director of the Business Analytics and AI Initiative. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Michigan (2005) and previously taught at the University of Maryland for eight years. His research focuses on computational modeling techniques including agent-based modeling, machine learning, and geographic information systems to study information diffusion, organizational learning, and market dynamics. He develops tools to enhance data-driven decision-making in academia and industry.

Education: PhD in Computer Science, University of Michigan (2005)

Research Interests: Social media analysis, misinformation mitigation, machine learning applications, agent-based modeling frameworks, climate change communication, and digital marketing strategies. Bill bridges computer science methodologies with social science problems, particularly in analyzing how geography and networks influence information spread.

Funding & Recognition: Supported by NSF, DARPA, ARL, Google, WPP, and the Marketing Science Institute. Recognized with Summer Research Awards (2019) and academic honors for teaching and research innovation.

Labs & Initiatives: Leads the Business Analytics and AI Initiative, collaborates with the Business Sustainability Collaborative, and contributes to interdisciplinary projects at NC State's Poole College.