Eunkyu Lee, associate dean for global initiatives and professor of marketing at Syracuse University’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management, has been selected as one of the Top 50 Best Undergraduate Business Professors of 2024 by Poets&Quants.

Lee was nominated by S.P. Raj, chair of marketing at Whitman, who noted, “I am thrilled to nominate Professor Lee for the Best Undergraduate B-School Professor of 2024, as his teaching career exemplifies unwavering dedication and exceptional talent. Known for his enthusiastic and personable approach, he captivates students with his animated communication style, fostering a classroom environment that encourages critical thinking and active participation.

“He is a strong advocate for experiential learning, exemplified by his acclaimed Brand Management course, where students manage multi-million dollar brands in a simulated environment. Over 30 years of his excellent career in education is evidenced by multiple accolades, outstanding teaching evaluations and words of appreciation by his former and current students. Professor Lee truly deserves this recognition for his extraordinary impact on undergraduate education,” Raj adds.

Lee is a leading scholar on marketing channel management and brand strategy. His research has appeared in top academic journals such as Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing Research, Management Science and Journal of Retailing. He also regularly contributes his vast knowledge on current marketing and business issues to various media outlets. 

In addition, his teaching talents are well-known throughout the Whitman School, having received the Graduate Faculty of the Year Award, as well as the Dean’s Recognition of Teaching Excellence, multiple times. Lee has also been nominated for the University’s Meredith Teaching Recognition Award and received acknowledgement for his outstanding research by receiving a Martin J. Whitman Research Fellowship and the Whitman Dean’s Research Fellowship. 

Poets&Quants received approximately 1,000 nominations for 160 professors from students, alumni, colleagues and deans at more than 60 of the best undergraduate business programs worldwide. Every nomination is individually evaluated, assigning all professors a 1-to-10 score based on research (weighted 30%) determined by volume of Google Scholar citations, media attention, research and writing awards and industry impact; and teaching accolades (weighted 70%), including nominations, awards and impact on their departments and schools. The average of both factors makes up the final score to determine the Top 50. 

“It is truly an honor to be chosen for such a prestigious award, and I appreciate those who have nominated me and supported my work at the Whitman School. To me, marketing is a field that is fascinating and dynamic, and there is nothing I like to do more than transfer my own enthusiasm to my students by explaining concepts and principles of marketing through real-world examples that resonate in ways they can easily understand,” says Lee, who joined the Whitman School in 2000. “Equally important to me is continuing to build on my research and share it with others—students, colleagues, media— as I examine some of the emerging topics in marketing. Currently, some of my research projects are looking closely at the impact of artificial intelligence on customer shopping assistance and advertising, as well as the importance of disclosing use of AI to consumers in order to enhance the trustworthiness of a brand. AI is just one more element that continues to make the marketing field fascinating and fast paced.”

This is Poets&Quant’s seventh edition of the 50 Best Professors in Undergraduate Business Education. For more information on Lee, see his profile on Poets&Quants where he elaborates more about his career as a business school professor at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management.