Hello, everyone! I'm Sha Wang, originally from Chongqing, China, and currently a full-time PhD candidate at the School of Business and Economics at Maastricht University. My research focuses on entrepreneurial strategies and marketing challenges in the Metaverse. With a background primarily in communication and marketing, I underwent a decade of cross-border industrial experience in the media field. During this period, I established a startup. Subsequently, I transitioned into academia, dedicating three years as a lecturer at a Chinese university before making my way to Maastricht.
What reasons were behind your recent academic decisions?
Our world is undergoing subtle, rapid, and inevitable changes. Following Facebook's renaming to Meta over two years ago, Apple Inc. recently launched its latest product – Vision Pro. It has been likened to the transformative impact of the iPhone during the Web 2.0 era and is considered a catalyst for the Web 3.0 Metaverse era. As researchers in entrepreneurship and marketing, embracing the technologies shaping the way young people live is crucial. The evolving landscape of their lives holds the key to innovations and inspirations, fostering novel entrepreneurial strategies and marketing frameworks.
What are some of the highlights/key learnings of your academic journey?
As my academic journey unfolded, the growing significance of machine learning became evident. In virtually every field, including seemingly practical domains like Medicine and Psychology, there's an increasing reliance on data analysis. This realization has been a key takeaway, underlining the evolving nature of research methodologies.
How does the DEXLab provide value to you?
I consider myself fortunate to have access to the cutting-edge technologies and state-of-the-art equipment in DEXLab. It serves as an exclusive resource, enabling me to conduct experiments seamlessly and efficiently—an opportunity not readily available at many universities.
What are your hobbies outside of work?
Outside the academic realm, my life is relatively peaceful. Cooking, gardening, and spending quality time with my family, including our feline companions, occupy a significant portion of my non-working hours. We also dedicate time to continuous learning and traveling, as we firmly believe that simplicity in life enhances the quality of research, and exploring nuanced behaviors in different cultures sharpens our minds and aids in better interpretive insights.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Without a doubt, the ability to travel through time. The intricacies of history shaping destiny and the limitless possibilities of multiple universes are profoundly fascinating to me. It's a power that goes beyond imagination and opens the door to a world of wonder.