With the holidays approaching, the University of South Florida offers a variety of faculty experts to discuss how consumers can budget for gift-buying and family gatherings, the growing use of artificial intelligence and how to keep health and nutrition in mind.
Listed below are some of USF’s experts by topic. If there is interest in a topic not listed, USF’s Experts Guide is another resource to quickly locate faculty members by keywords, expertise or college. Members of the media interested in an interview are asked to contact Ryan Hughes at rphughes@usf.edu or 215-704-3182.
Shopping/marketing
Carol Osborne – senior instructor of marketing and promotion management: An expert on consumer behavior, marketing, marketing communications, advertising and branding, Osborne expects hot gift categories to be less indulgent and more practical. For example, products and subscriptions that promote personal health and wellness will be popular, along with functional consumer and home products, including a sharp trend away from non-sustainable products like K-cup coffee makers back to the shared 10-cup coffee pot with a reusable gold filter.
“U.S. holiday retail sales are expected to increase by 8% over last year according to Deloitte. Despite consumer trends in other retail categories to maximize convenience and minimize human interaction like home delivery and drive-through, more than 60% of holiday shoppers will browse gifts in person. Emarketer reports that brick-and-mortar locations will spur 80% of holiday e-commerce sales. Meanwhile, 60% percent of shoppers ages 18-49 plan to use their smartphones to shop, and 15% expect to shop on social media.”
Dipayan Biswas – professor of marketing: An expert in sensory marketing, digital marketing, online shopping, artificial intelligence, robotics and retail atmospherics, Biswas can talk about how retailers are leveraging AI and other technology to customize the shopping experience for customers.
“Gifting of tech-related products is likely to be quite high this year. This is likely to be fueled by the AI revolution and the mainstreaming of AI and robotics.”
John Licato -- associate professor of computer science: Licato is an expert in artificial intelligence, natural language processing and human reasoning. He can talk about how AI can be used to help make decisions about holiday shopping for friends and relatives.
“For example, you can use AI to reason about the preferences and likes of loved ones based on what you know about them. An AI tool like ChatGPT can analyze patterns and suggest relevant gift options based on their interests. You can also refine the AI's suggestions by giving feedback, helping it become more accurate in offering thoughtful, tailored gift ideas.”
Michael Snipes – associate professor of economics: An expert on inflation and the economy, Snipes can talk about consumer budgeting and spending for the holiday season.
“I think holiday spending will be unpredictable this year. We’re still dealing with inflationary pressures, which hurts purchasing power. Consumer spending is also closely tied to consumer confidence. The question is how consumers feel about the future.”
Online shopping/cybercrime
Tom Hyslip – assistant professor of instruction, cybercrime: With more than 20 years of experience as a federal law enforcement officer with the U.S. Secret Service and Department of Defense, Hyslip can talk about standard tactics cybercriminals use to trick their victims and steps individuals can take to stay safe from cybercrime this holiday season.
Supply chain
Seçkin Özkul – assistant professor and director, USF Supply Chain Innovation Lab: An expert on operations and supply chains, Özkul predicts a smoother holiday shopping season than in recent years, with some caveats.
“The good news is that most supply chains and company operations are back to normal, allowing products to reach the marketplace in time for the holidays. However, common supply chain management problems such as weather disruptions, capacity issues with logistics carriers and unexpected disruptions such as carrier strikes might limit availability of some products.”
Rob Hooker – associate professor of supply chain management, market research and marketing strategy: Hooker is an expert in supply chain and retail across all channels, including in store, mobile and online. He can discuss whether brick-and-mortar retailers and online sellers will again encourage early shopping and how current supply chain conditions could affect certain products and product lines.
Holiday health
Lauri Wright – associate professor of nutrition and dietetics; registered dietitian nutritionist: An expert in food insecurity and health disparities, Wright can talk about how to incorporate healthy eating and physical activity into the holiday season.
“Americans gain one to two pounds during the holiday season. While this doesn’t sound like a lot, research shows it adds up over the years. During the holidays, parents can cook with kids to teach them about nutrition and can provide some age-appropriate tasks to help bring families together.”
Lisa Penney – professor of information systems and management: Penney is a stress researcher in the USF Muma College of Business. Her strategies for managing holiday stress emphasize looking closely at what’s being demanded of us, as well as the demands we choose to take on.
“So many of us take on extra demands during the holidays because it’s tradition. We don’t stop to think about what we’re doing and why. We’re on autopilot and don’t notice how much it costs us, how exhausted it makes us, or if it even gets us what we want.”
Deborah Cragun – associate professor; director, genetic counseling graduate program: An expert in genetic counseling and hereditary cancer syndromes, Cragun can talk about how family gatherings during the holidays are an ideal time to discuss and better understand a family’s medical history, since knowing about hereditary cancers may qualify individuals for additional, potentially life-saving cancer screening.
“Direct-to-consumer genetic test kits are sometimes marketed as great holiday gifts. They can be 'fun' but also life-changing, and it’s important to be prepared for what you may learn.”
Dr. Bibhu Mohanty – associate professor, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences: A structural cardiologist, Mohanty can explain the physiological response by the heart and cardiovascular system to gift-giving and romantic gestures around the holiday season.
Dr. Ryan Wagoner – chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences: Wagoner has expertise in treating anxiety disorders, depression and other conditions. He is a frequent contributor to coverage focused on how the holidays can affect psychiatric conditions and overall stress levels.
“While the holiday season is a joyous time for many, it can bring on anxiety for others. We tend to remember loved ones who have passed, and that can cause stress and depression."
Holidays and older adults
Amy Corbin – assistant instructor of aging studies: With a background in gerontology and social work, Corbin can speak to the transitions common to the aging experience which may impact how older adults view and navigate the holiday season.
“For many, holidays are often a time of joy and connection. However, this time of year can present special challenges based on changes in functioning and losses later in life. While each person's experience is unique, we can work to better understand and support each other throughout these transitions.”