Since joining Pace University’s Lubin School of Business in the fall of 2023, Professor Eunhee (Emily) Ko has focused on preparing students for careers in data-driven marketing. Ko, who holds a master’s degree in analytics from Northwestern University and a PhD in marketing from Emory University, brings both academic training and real-world experience to her teaching.
“My academic and professional journey led me to quantitative marketing, where my work centers on data analytics and modeling. I discovered my passion for the field while in the Analytics program at Northwestern University, where I found excitement in learning analytical tools and uncovering patterns in real-world data. This experience inspired me to collaborate with a faculty member on a research project, which led to a conference publication and ultimately motivated me to pursue a PhD at Emory University,” said Ko.
Ko’s approach emphasizes connecting theory with practice. She draws on her background as an entrepreneur—having founded an e-commerce business—and industry consultant when designing courses such as Visual Analytics, Predictive Analytics, and Marketing Research. Her teaching includes hands-on projects using real business problems and current industry tools.
She explained her teaching philosophy: “Through my research and teaching, I am continually inspired by the opportunity to help students and organizations interpret consumer behavior and make informed, strategic decisions. I enjoy contributing to the field and embracing my role as a scholar and educator in this dynamic discipline.”
At Pace’s Lubin School of Business, Ko values the collaborative environment that encourages practical education through application-driven learning. She noted that Pace’s location in New York City creates opportunities for partnerships with businesses, guest speakers, experiential projects, networking events, and collaborative research.
“I am also excited about Pace’s supportive research environment, which encourages interdisciplinary work and provides resources that help faculty advance meaningful scholarship,” she added.
Her research focuses on online marketing strategies involving user-generated content (UGC), both structured (like text) and unstructured (such as images or video), applying machine learning techniques to understand how semantic features influence business outcomes. Ko’s studies have appeared in journals including Computers in Human Behaviour as well as international conferences like IEEE.
“Consumer behaviours have always been quickly changing, especially in this technology-led environment. The consumer behaviours of yesterday might not be the same as those of today, so constant research is essential,” she said.
In class settings, Ko incorporates technology extensively—teaching programming languages used for data analysis—and assigns projects that mirror professional analytics work environments. Students are required to engage with digital tools ranging from visualization software to generative AI systems; one assignment asks them to evaluate how generative AI can support tasks like data exploration or analysis while maintaining academic integrity standards.
A key component across all her courses is experiential learning: “The final project is a core component in all my courses… My aim is for students to leave my classes with tools they can immediately use in their professional careers.”
Ko shared an example: A student from her Visual Analytics course used their class project during a job interview presentation—which helped secure an internship offer at a major U.S. company.
Reflecting on challenges faced entering analytics—a field demanding new technical skills—Ko credited mentors and peer support networks for helping her persist through steep learning curves: “Looking back, the combination of perseverance, a willingness to learn new technologies, and a strong professional community was instrumental…”
When asked about what gives her pride professionally she responded: “The triumph I am most proud of is my students’ success… Their accomplishments feel like shared victories…”
To her students she offers this advice: “Embrace challenge and persistence. I want my students to understand that facing difficulty and continuing to push forward are essential parts of learning…”
For Ko #LubinLife means being part of “a supportive and ambitious community where students, faculty…work together…”
Among other subjects at Lubin School of Business this year Professor Ko teaches Marketing Research (MAR 222/635/684), Visual Analytics (MAR 368/657), Predictive Analytics (MAR 664), along with supervising senior thesis work through MAR 495.
