Anshu Arora, Ph.D., PMP
About Dr. Anshu Arora
Dr. Anshu Saxena Arora
Professor of Marketing, AI, and Robotics | School of Business and Public Administration | University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC
Pioneering AI & Robotics Research at the Intersection of Technology, Human-Robot Interaction, and Consumer Experience
Dr. Anshu Arora stands at the forefront of transformative research that bridges marketing, artificial intelligence (AI), social robotics, and human-robot interaction (HRI). As a distinguished professor at the University of the District of Columbia, her work explores how AI, robotics, and emerging technologies reshape marketing, consumer behavior, organizational dynamics, and human-robot interaction (HRI) in unprecedented ways.
At the UDC School of Business and Public Administration, Dr. Arora is the Chair of the Assurance of Learning (AoL) and AACSB Assessment committee and manage specific accreditation and assessment processes to assure ongoing AACSB accreditation status and Continuous Improvement Review processes (AACSB Standard 5); ensure the implementation, assessment, and improvement of academic programs; and develop and implement operational improvements.
With a robust portfolio of federally funded research projects and an extensive publication record spanning leading international journals and her book series with Palgrave - Springer Nature, UK, Dr. Arora has established herself as a thought leader in understanding how AI-driven innovations and robotic technologies influence marketing strategies, customer experiences, and business operations. Her research addresses critical questions about robotic technology adoption, ethical AI deployment, global AI governance, and the future of human-robot collaboration in commercial and social contexts.
As the Founding & Current Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Social Robotics, and Behavioral Research Lab, Dr. Arora focuses on advancing the knowledge and evidence-based strategies using Furhat, NAO, and Pepper social robots to promote academic motivation and positive STEM attitudes for K-12 high school students within the DC Public Schools in Washington DC, who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and engaging student researchers with STEM, specifically AI and Social Robotics.
Dr. Arora is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) from Project Management Institute (PMI), USA. She has published more than 55 research papers in national and international journals of repute and has presented about 65 papers in national and international conferences.
Through her leadership of the Social Robotics Research Initiative at UDC and her role as Book Series Editor for prominent academic publications, Dr. Arora cultivates interdisciplinary dialogue that advances both theoretical understanding and practical applications of intelligent technologies in business and society.
Dr. Anshu Arora's research interests and expertise include:
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Social-educational-ethical Robotics;
AI and Social robotics; user experience (UX) / consumer experience (CX);
AI Policy / Regulation / Governance across the United States, European Union, and China;
Social media analytics; digital marketing; social media strategy mix and social media measurement;
Stereotypical advertising polysemy; innovative experiential learning pedagogies;
Relational supply chain management strategy relationships; and
Project management.
Academic Excellence and Professional Impact
Distinguished Faculty
Professor of Marketing, AI, and Robotics at the School of Business and Public Administration, University of the District of Columbia.
Recognized for excellence in teaching, research, and mentorship across undergraduate and graduate programs.
National Recognition
Featured in AACSB's "Innovations That Inspire" spotlight for groundbreaking contributions to AI, robotics, business education, and technology integration through UDC School of Business's social robots helping DC Public Schools' students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Recipient of multiple teaching and research excellence awards.
Global Scholar
Extensive citation record on Google Scholar with research impact spanning five continents.
Active collaborations with leading institutions and consistent publication in high-impact journals and book series.
Federal Funds Received by Dr. Arora & Colleagues at UDC School of Business ~ $ 2 million (2020 - Present)
Federally Funded Research Initiatives
National Science Foundation Awards
Dr. Arora serves as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on multiple National Science Foundation grants that advance critical research in technology adoption, AI applications, and workforce development. These prestigious awards demonstrate the national significance of her research agenda and its potential to transform both academic understanding and real-world practice.
NSF Award #2100934: This faculty research initiation award supports innovative research exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence, robotics, and organizational behavior. The project investigates how emerging technologies reshape workplace dynamics, decision-making processes, and human-machine collaboration patterns in contemporary business environments.
The overarching goal of the Social Motivation Approach for Rehabilitation Through Educational Robotics (SMARTER) research is to obtain new scientific knowledge on social, cognitive and behavioral relationships in educational robotics using social motivation approach for managing learning/cognitive disabilities, social interaction difficulties, and developmental disorders (e.g., Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD) in the middle and high District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), and the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) in Washington, DC. The most significant impact of the SMARTER research is strengthening the research capacity at UDC for undergraduate students and faculty in the interdisciplinary education, social-cognition and robotics fields, and providing research training and opportunities for UDC undergraduate students.
NSF Award #2406166: Building on previous successes, this recent award extends Dr. Arora's research portfolio into cutting-edge applications of AI and robotics in marketing contexts. The project examines consumer responses to intelligent technologies, ethical considerations in AI deployment, and the evolution of customer experience strategies in an increasingly automated marketplace.
The project aims to accomplish this goal by 1) developing an innovative Artificial Intelligence and Robotics program; (2) enriching the undergraduate student and faculty research experiences; and (3) increasing the enrollment and retention rate of UDC students across STEM and business programs. The institution-wide AI & Robotics program has the potential of benefitting students across diverse STEM disciplines and providing a validated replicable model for other similar institutions in the nation, empowering and transforming students as leaders in the 21st Century workforce.
These federally funded initiatives not only advance scientific knowledge but also provide invaluable research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students at UDC, fostering the next generation of technology-savvy business leaders and researchers.
Research Impact
  • Federal funding supporting groundbreaking investigations
  • Interdisciplinary collaborations across engineering and business
  • Student involvement in cutting-edge research projects
  • Publications and presentations at international venues
  • Industry partnerships translating research to practice
  • Policy implications for AI governance and ethics
AI, Social Robotics, & Behavioral Research Lab Initiative @ UDC School of Business
The AI, Social Robotics, and Behavioral Research Lab at the University of the District of Columbia represents a pioneering effort to understand how robotic technologies influence human behavior, social interactions, and organizational outcomes. Under Dr. Arora's leadership, this initiative has become a hub for innovative research that explores the psychological, social, and economic implications of human-robot interaction in diverse contexts ranging from retail environments to healthcare settings.
This research program investigates critical questions about trust, acceptance, and adaptation as humans increasingly encounter and collaborate with robotic systems. Through controlled experiments, field studies, and computational modeling, the initiative examines how design features, communication patterns, and contextual factors shape human responses to social robots. The findings have profound implications for marketing strategies, service design, workplace automation, and public policy.
The AI and social robotics research initiative actively engages DC Public Schools' students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and other learning disabilities with Dr. Arora's social robots (NAO, Pepper, and Furhat robots) and obtains new scientific knowledge on social, cognitive and behavioral relationships in social-educational robotics using social motivation approach for managing learning/cognitive disabilities, social interaction difficulties, and developmental disorders (e.g., ASD). The research further engages undergraduate and graduate students in hands-on AI and robotics research experiences, providing them with valuable skills in experimental design, data analysis, and technology evaluation. Students have opportunities to work with state-of-the-art robotic platforms, contribute to peer-reviewed publications, and present their findings at national conferences. This experiential learning prepares them for careers in technology companies, consulting firms, research institutions, and graduate programs.
For more information on the Social Motivation Approach for Rehabilitation Through Educational Robotics (SMARTER) research: Visit Award Details - NSF Award Search
Beyond academic contributions, the AI and Robotics Research Initiative maintains strong connections with industry partners, technology developers, and policymakers. These collaborations ensure that research findings inform real-world applications and contribute to responsible innovation in robotics and AI. The initiative has been featured in academic spotlights and media coverage, raising awareness about the societal implications of robotic technologies.
Special Issue of Frontiers in Robotics and AI Journal
Dr. Anshu Saxena Arora and Dr. Amit Arora from UDC School of Business along with Dr. John McIntyre from Georgia Institute of Technology are editors of the Special Issue (a.k.a Research Topic) of the esteemed Frontiers in Robotics and AI journal titled “The Robotics Revolution: Transforming Customer Experience (CX) and Adoption of Robots and Robotic Products”.
Scholarly Publications and Editorial Leadership
Advancing Knowledge Through Publication in Marketing, AI, and Robotics
Dr. Arora's scholarly contributions span an impressive range of topics at the intersection of marketing, technology, and organizational behavior. Her research appears in leading international journals, prestigious book series, and peer-reviewed conference proceedings. With a substantial citation record documented on Google Scholar and ResearchGate, her work influences researchers, practitioners, and policymakers worldwide.
Dr. Arora's publication portfolio addresses fundamental questions about consumer behavior in digital environments, the adoption and diffusion of innovative technologies, ethical considerations in AI and robotics deployment, and the transformation of marketing strategies in response to technological disruption. Each publication combines rigorous methodology with practical relevance, ensuring that findings contribute to both theoretical advancement and real-world problem-solving.
As Series Editor for the Springer - Nature Book Series on "International Marketing and Management Research", Dr. Arora shapes the direction of scholarly discourse in her field. This editorial role involves curating cutting-edge research, mentoring emerging scholars, and ensuring that published work meets the highest standards of academic rigor and innovation. The series has become a premier venue for interdisciplinary research exploring how technology reshapes marketing theory and practice.
More information about the Book Series can be found here: International Marketing and Management Research | Book series home
Dr. Arora actively maintains profiles on multiple academic platforms including Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Frontiers Loop, and institutional repositories, ensuring her research remains accessible to global audiences. This commitment to open scholarship facilitates knowledge dissemination and fosters collaborative research networks spanning continents.
11 Books have been published under International Marketing and Management Research Series from Palgrave - Springer Nature, UK with Dr. Anshu Arora as the "Series Editor" - International Marketing and Management Research | Book series home
Dr. Anshu Arora: Teaching Philosophy and Student Success
Dr. Anshu Arora is the Current and Founding Director of the UDC’s STEM-Business Focused Logistics and International Trade (LIT) Analytics Center - LIT Concentration – Logistics | School of Business & Public Administration | University of the District of Columbia - and the center has strategic alliances with companies like AARP in Washington DC, Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and ANA Educational Foundation in New York City, Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, X-Culture Project at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in North Carolina, SAP-ERP software from German company SAP SE, The Lab @ DC (an administrative research arm of the DC Mayor’s Office), and the DC Public School (DCPS) System. Since 2019 until present, UDC School of Business had 200+ UDC students successfully participated and completed the X-Culture project - Home page | X-Culture.orgwith the University of North Carolina @ Greensboro, NC. Every semester, more than 5,000 students and professionals from over 100+ countries across six continents take part in X-Culture competition, working as cross-cultural, global virtual teams. For several months, they work together on business projects as ‘global consultants’ to the real-life worldwide corporate partners. The students compete, collaborate through online and social media platforms, learn the challenges and best practices of international business consulting, and overcome challenges dealing with language and cultural differences to be successful in X-Culture.
Dr. Arora's Teaching Philosophy: Focus on Experiential Learning and Critical Thinking
"As a professor and a researcher, I value critical thinking, professional writing, and research orientations in my students. My job is to move them from a mindset of apathy and incuriosity to one of inquiry and critical thinking. For example, I encourage my students to take a critical approach to the analysis of a company as a case study. In International Marketing and Advertising courses, my students work on the case studies of various product and service companies, as well as marketing consultancies and/or advertising agencies. Initially, students find this challenging since they are used to accepting company propaganda as fact. I help my students to question and disagree with what they read rather than passively accepting everything. The students are made to question a company’s marketing strategies by researching and investigating company facts, and they are actively involved in developing marketing and/or advertising plans for the company. This teaching strategy helps students to be participative in the learning process and lead to critical thinking environments. I believe that a good educational experience should be a rigorous one. I think we must challenge our students in areas of developing professional writing skills through ENTREPREURIAL and RESEARCH orientations (new product development ideas represented in Marketing / commercialization plans, research papers, and research projects), thereby developing their analytical, decision-making skills and critical thinking abilities."
RESEARCH / STUDY ABROAD - A Partnership between University of the District of Columbia and Nottingham Trent University (NTU), United Kingdom: 25 UDC Students have been Impacted So Far
RESEARCH ABROAD Program Offered by the UDC School of Business and Public Administration, and Supported and Funded by the US National Science Foundation --- Dr. Anshu Arora and Dr. Amit Arora are the Co-PIs of the current and active NSF grant that supports the STUDY ABROAD / RESEARCH ABROAD programs to the UNITED KINGDOM from the UDC School of Business and Public Administration at the University of the District of Columbia in association with Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, England. A major highlight of this trip during 2025 was the Historic Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UDC and NTU for the next five years (2025–2030), fostering collaborations in global business education, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, innovation, and student mobility. This milestone agreement was formally signed by Dr. Mo Sepehri, Dean of SBPA-UDC, and Dr. Baback Yazdani, Executive Dean of Nottingham Business School, during a ceremonial event in Nottingham.
During Summer 2022, Summer 2023, Summer 2024, and Summer 2025, UDC School of Business offered the FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, and FOURTH STUDY ABROAD programs to Nottingham and London, United Kingdom impacting 25 UDC students so far. During SUMMER 2025 – there was a BIG difference from the previous summer study programs where students did RESEARCH ABROAD in addition to STUDY ABROAD! BGMT 395 (Study / Research Abroad Course) is offered in Summer Session 2 during Late June – Mid August (6 weeks) every year @ UDC-SBPA. The STUDY ABROAD course is offered as an ‘elective’ for ‘AI & Robotics in Business’ and ‘Logistics & International Trade (LIT)’ Concentrations, and this course can be counted as a ‘Business Management elective’ for Business Majors across all SBPA disciplines / concentrations. The students can opt for this course across all schools and colleges at UDC. The RESEARCH / STUDY ABROAD (BGMT 395) course is supported by the NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.
During Summer 2022, Summer 2023, Summer 2024, and Summer 2025, UDC School of Business offered the FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, and FOURTH STUDY ABROAD programs to Nottingham and London, United Kingdom impacting 25 UDC students so far. During SUMMER 2025 – there was a BIG difference from the previous summer study programs where students did RESEARCH ABROAD in addition to STUDY ABROAD! BGMT 395 (Study / Research Abroad Course) is offered in Summer Session 2 during Late June – Mid August (6 weeks) every year @ UDC-SBPA. The STUDY ABROAD course is offered as an ‘elective’ for ‘AI & Robotics in Business’ and ‘Logistics & International Trade (LIT)’ Concentrations, and this course can be counted as a ‘Business Management elective’ for Business Majors across all SBPA disciplines / concentrations. The students can opt for this course across all schools and colleges at UDC. The RESEARCH / STUDY ABROAD course is supported by the NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.
International Collaboration: Social Robotics at UDC and NTU
Dr. Anshu Arora (Professor of Marketing and Director of AI, Robotics, and Behavioral Research Lab @ UDC) shared her research in social robotics with NTU social robotics group, headed by Dr. David Brown (Professor of Robotics and Social Inclusion @ NTU – https://www.ntu.ac.uk/staff-profiles/science-technology/david-brown). There will be international collaboration opportunities possible for both UDC and NTU researchers in the future. NTU is ranked in the Top 5 UK research university (6th largest in the UK with around 40,000 students).
In Dr. Anshu Arora’s words:
"At Nottingham, I met with Dr. David Brown (https://www.ntu.ac.uk/staff-profiles/science-technology/david-brown) and his team of social robotics researchers. They are doing some amazing work in social robotics and autism … similar to my NSF-Funded SMARTER research (https://www.udc.edu/sbpa/lit/social-robotics-research/) dealing with high schoolers diagnosed with autism and other learning disabilities in Washington, DC. NTU is conducting a massive scale research with their EU Funded Project – EDUROB – Educational Robotics for People with Learning Disabilities (https://edurob.eu/index.html). I was simply amazed to explore their work which mirrors my research work in social robotics, autism, and DC Public Schools (obviously, there’s much bigger across partners from UK, Lithuania, Italy, Bulgaria, and Poland). After discussing our research, we realized that there are opportunities for future collaboration along with international funding opportunities. I look forward to more fruitful future collaborations with UK and EU! Go ROBOTICS! Go UDC! "        
Faculty-Led Student Research: AI, Robotics, and Behavioral Research in Marketing and Management
Student Research with Dr. Anshu Arora
During 2025 - 2026, ten (10) of Dr. Arora's students across UDC schools and colleges are currently working on their research in areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. Faculty Mentors for the students are Dr. Anshu Arora and Dr. Amit Arora, and their research projects are funded by the National Science Foundation. Congratulations and Kudos!
Ms. Shannen Graham's (BBA Student) research is titled "Regulating Robotic Lying, Deception, and Hallucination to Ensure Transparency and Consumer Trust in Social Robots." She examines how lying, deception, and hallucination in social robots undermine consumer trust and challenge existing legal and regulatory frameworks. General consumer protection and unfair or deceptive practices laws in the United States, such as Federal Trade Commission enforcement under Section 5 of the FTC Act and emerging state artificial intelligence (AI) consumer protection statutes in Colorado, Texas, and Maine, already apply to robots that mislead, confuse, or misrepresent information to users, even though they do not single out robots as a separate category. Globally, the European Union AI Act’s prohibition on manipulative or deceptive AI techniques along with the interaction with the GDPR’s transparency and fairness obligations, United Kingdom’s consumer and competition rules on unfair or misleading AI-mediated practices, and China’s deep synthesis regulations address misleading synthetic content and require traceability and labeling.
Ms. Joselyn Bercian's (BBA Student) research is titled "Diverging AI Governance Pathways: Bridging the Divide between the European Union, United Kingdom, and the United States." She analyzes the AI governance frameworks across the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom that represent contrasting approaches that reflect the broader social and regulatory traditions within these world regions. The United States emphasizes innovation, market competitiveness, and a regulatory environment that minimizes obstacles to technological growth. Policy initiatives, including America’s AI Action Plan, further encourage the development and international expansion of AI systems, reinforcing the country’s position as a global leader in AI innovation and development. By contrast, the European Union’s AI Act is grounded in a risk-based model that emphasizes safety, accountability, and the protection of fundamental rights. The AI Act, together with GDPR, addresses general-purpose AI models and exemplifies this risk-based approach. The United Kingdom, meanwhile, has pursued a more flexible, sector-led strategy that seeks to balance innovation with oversight, emphasizing regulatory agility and collaboration between government, industry, and academia rather than codifying a centralized AI law. Together, these divergent frameworks shape domestic AI landscapes and compete to influence international standards, with ongoing transatlantic dialogue shaping global AI governance.
AI and Social Robotics Research Papers Authored / Co-Authored by Dr. Arora:
Dr. Anshu Arora's Student Research Projects highlighted in the UDC Research Conference Proceedings:
Connect With Dr. Anshu Arora
Get in Touch
Dr. Arora welcomes inquiries from prospective students, research collaborators, and industry partners. Whether you're interested in graduate studies, collaborative research opportunities, speaking engagements, or consulting partnerships, she's eager to explore how her knowledge in marketing, AI, and robotics can contribute to your goals.
Office Location: Room 312, Building 38, Third Floor, School of Business and Public Administration, University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC
Graduate students interested in research assistantships or thesis supervision are encouraged to review Dr. Arora's recent publications and NSF projects before reaching out.