ECU students present research at national marketing conference

Two East Carolina University College of Business students’ scholarship and academic excellence were showcased on a national stage last semester. MBA student Kamila Buckle ’24, ’26, and recent graduate Omar Alqudsi ’25 presented original research at the 2026 Association of Marketing Theory & Practice Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Their professor, Dr. Trang Tran, associate professor of marketing, said their participation underscores ECU’s strong commitment to experiential learning and reflects the university’s growing visibility within the national marketing research community.

The two research papers were developed by Buckle and Alqudsi as part of a consumer behavior course. They were then refined into full scholarly presentations. Tran said that this accomplishment highlights both the students’ dedication to academic inquiry and the rigor of ECU’s marketing curriculum.

Buckle’s paper, “The Psychology of Acquisition, Consumption and Disposition of Clothing Among Consumers,” was written while she was in Arthur Graduate School of Business. Alqudsi’s paper, “The Acquisition, Consumption and Disposal of Clothing: A Qualitative Analysis,” was written before he graduated last December. Both articles were co-authored Tran. By presenting alongside scholars from institutions across the U.S., Tran said that the ECU students demonstrated their ability to translate classroom-based research into meaningful scholarly contributions. He added that collectively, these projects advance important discussions surrounding sustainable consumption and consumer decision-making, while showcasing the high caliber of ECU scholarship within competitive national academic forums.