Students at Marist College’s School of Management recently participated in a two-day workshop focused on biometric research technology. The event, held in the Dyson Center’s Marketing Intelligence Lab, provided hands-on training with tools that track eye movement, measure physical responses such as excitement, monitor brain activity, and analyze facial expressions and voice patterns. Students also worked with virtual reality systems equipped with eye-tracking features.
The workshop was led by iMotions, a company specializing in biometric research technology. According to the organizers, the goal was to help students learn how to capture physiological aspects of decision-making.
“Being able to see real-time emotional and cognitive reactions provided a new perspective on how people engage with media, products, and experiences,” said Karina Borysiak ’28, a business administration major concentrating in marketing who is currently conducting research under Dr. Mohammadali Koorank Beheshti.
Dr. Beheshti emphasized the practical nature of the lab: “The Marketing Intelligence Lab provides students with a hands-on environment where they not only learn by doing but also generate new knowledge through applied research.”
After completing the training, some students began designing their own projects using these technologies. Borysiak is currently investigating whether AI influencers or human influencers are more effective at promoting themes like body positivity and responsible consumption.
Madison Jensen ’29, who is double majoring in business administration and communications, noted that the training brought together her interests in business and psychology. She described using facial expression analysis and VR eye-tracking for an experiment on magazine covers: “The technology was extremely impressive, and I felt it was very user-friendly,” said Madison. “The devices extract loads of data, giving evaluations of joy, contentment, anger, measurements of areas of interest, and so much more.”
Both Borysiak and Jensen highlighted how this certification could help their professional development. Borysiak stated: “I think employers will see this certification as a sign that I’m proactive and willing to challenge myself, and also that I’m able to work with innovative, data-driven technologies.”
Marist College aims to provide experiential learning opportunities for its students by offering access to advanced equipment for solving business problems. The use of biometric technology among undergraduate business students positions Marist as an institution active in this emerging field.
Nam Nguyen from iMotions commented on leading the session: “I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to have conducted a workshop at Marist University,” he said. “The energy, curiosity, and depth of conversation with Marist’s professors and students were truly inspiring especially as we explored how to tap into their powerful entrepreneurial spirit.”
Dr. Barry Silverman added: “The Marketing Intelligence Lab at Marist will be the hub for a robust and exciting marketing community that we are building,” he said. “This training was an important first step in laying the groundwork for this community… while we conduct important research that supports the Marist network.”
Additional sessions are planned for both students and faculty members so they can continue developing skills relevant to real-world strategic challenges.
