2025 AIS Doctoral Student College Election

President - Two (2) Candidates

Shariga Sivanathan, University of Münster, Germany

Shariga Sivanathan is a doctoral student in Information Systems at the University of Münster and a research associate at the Chair of Digital Innovation and the Public Sector. Her research focuses on digital platforms in healthcare, particularly in the care sector. She has published in the proceedings of ICIS and has reviewed for JAIS, CAIS, ECIS, AMCIS and AOM. Additionally, she attended the ICIS 2023 Doctoral Consortium. She currently serves as a Regional Coordinator of the AIS Doctoral Student College and as the Lead Co-Chair of the Doctoral Student Corner for ICIS 2025.

Jiamei Sun, University of Queensland, Australia

Jiamei Sun is a second-year PhD candidate in the Department of Information Systems at the University of Queensland Business School. Her research explores IT innovation, and AI-empowered digital innovation. She has presented her work at leading Information Systems conferences, including AMCIS, ECIS, ACIS, and PACIS, and her paper on digital platform generativity received the Best Paper Award at ACIS 2022. Jiamei actively contributes to the academic community as a reviewer for ACIS, ICIS, and academic journals, and has been deeply involved in conference service and doctoral community initiatives. Since 2024, she has served as a PACIS 2024 Session Chair, Regional 3 Coordinator for the AIS Doctoral Student College, and representative of the 2025 Doctoral Student Hangout. She is passionate about building a vibrant and inclusive doctoral community and aims to strengthen connections and provide meaningful support to doctoral students across regions through her continued involvement with the AIS Doctoral Student College.

Vice-President - Two (2) Candidates

Ayushi Agarwal, Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode, India

With over 11 years of professional experience, Ayushi Agarwal is a Research Scholar in the Information Systems area at the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK), India. Her professional journey spans AI, data analytics, automation, technology management, and human resource development. She began her career as a Software Engineer at Adobe Systems and later contributed to organizational growth at Skiify Solutions. Ayushi has collaborated with the AICTE and the Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India, as a tech mentor and expert for startups, conducting seminars on women and social entrepreneurship. Her contributions extend to national ranking frameworks such as YUKTI 2025, NIRF 2022, and ARIIA 2021. Her research focuses on disruptive technologies, ethics in AI, the metaverse, and AI integration for workplace sustainability. She served as Co-Chair of the Doctoral Student Corner at PACIS 2025 and actively contributes to the IS community as a reviewer, volunteer, and presenter at leading conferences and journals.

Ariful Islam, University of Jyväskylä, Finland

Ariful Islam is a purpose driven researcher in the CPSS Research Group at the University of Jyväskylä, specializing in Responsible Digital Transformation. He currently serves as a Regional Coordinator for the AIS Doctoral Student College (Region 2), organizing events, facilitating cross-regional engagement, and representing student voices to DSC leadership. As Communications Officer for CPSS, Ariful manages digital outreach, seminar promotion, and stakeholder engagement, strengthening visibility and knowledge sharing. He brings experience in event design, mentorship, and program coordination, with a focus on inclusive, impact-driven initiatives. Committed to advancing professional development and peer networks, Ariful aims to enhance global engagement and contribute strategically to the leadership and growth of the AIS Doctoral Student College.

Secretary - Five (5) Candidates

Mahdi Bahadornia, University of Bern, Switzerland

Mahdi Bahadornia is a second-year doctoral student and research assistant at the Institute of Information Systems, University of Bern, Switzerland. His research focuses on conversational agents, recommender agents, and responsible AI. He is currently involved in a Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) project examining users’ perceptions of fairness and unfairness when interacting with AI-based voice assistants. Mahdi has published in the European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS) proceedings and the peer-reviewed Philosophy of Management journal. He has served as a reviewer for conferences and journals, including ECIS, ICIS, Business Process Management Journal, and Digital Business Journal. In addition to his research, he has supported teaching activities and assisted in supervising master’s theses. Mahdi served as Co-Chair of the Doctoral Student Corner for ECIS 2025 and currently contributes as a Co-Contributor to MISQ Insider.

Sama Gholami, HEC Montréal, Canada

Sama Gholami is a doctoral candidate in Information Systems at HEC Montréal. Her research examines algorithmic bias and human-AI decision-making, focusing on how human oversight and group dynamics shape interactions with AI systems. She has presented her work at the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada (ASAC) and co-organized a workshop at AMCIS. Beyond her research, Sama plays an active role in the Information Systems community. She has served for two years as Coordinator of the ASAC IS Division, where she helps organize the annual conference and divisional activities, and coordinates communication with IS faculty across Canadian universities. She is also a Peer Support Mentor at HEC Montréal, providing guidance and well-being support to fellow students and a reviewer for book chapters and conferences such as ICIS and ASAC. Moreover, she is a recipient of the ASAC Best Reviewer Award (2024), the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, and the J.A. DeSève Merit-Based Bursary.

Alina Hafner, Technical University of Munich, Germany

Alina Hafner is a Ph.D. candidate at the Technical University of Munich. Her research focuses on Business Process Management, (Generative) Artificial Intelligence, and Enterprise Systems, exploring how generative AI transforms process design, optimization, and human-AI collaboration. Her work has been presented at leading conferences such as AMCIS, HICSS, and Wirtschaftsinformatik, and published in journals like Information Systems Frontiers. Alina brings strong experience in academic governance, teaching, and mentoring. As an elected doctoral representative at TUM, she advocates for transparent communication and doctoral well-being. Passionate about inclusion, she mentors first generation students and women in STEM. Within the AIS Doctoral Student College, she aims to strengthen global collaboration and empower doctoral researchers to engage, connect, and shape the future of the IS community.

Abdul Noordeen, Kennesaw State University, United States

Abdul Noordeen is a Ph.D. Candidate at Kennesaw State University with a design science research focus on AI-RPA hyperautomation on employee productivity and work-life balance. With close to two decades of professional SAP experience, he has led large scale digital-transformation projects for fortune 500 companies, excellence in innovation, mentorship, and leadership. As an AIS Doctoral Student College Region 1 he co-organized the 2025 webinar “Crafting Tomorrow’s Top Journals: Insights from Editors-in-Chief,” which drew nearly 500 participants with the top editors in North America. He has been in constant engaging communication and spirited collaboration by motivational posts—such as “Locking In” and “Rejection Is Not a Full Stop, but a Comma, ICIS, results are out, what’s next”—reflect his dedication to fostering connection, resilience, and growth. These experiences underscore the communication, organization, and servant-leadership qualities that will make him an effective and supportive Secretary for the AIS Doctoral Student College. 

Ruilin Wang, University of Massachusetts Lowell, United States

Ruilin Wang is a Ph.D. student in Management Information Systems at the Manning School of Business, University of Massachusetts Lowell. His research integrates educational technology and cybersecurity behavior, focusing on how AI-driven learning environments and security training interventions influence users’ motivation and performance. He has presented his work at AIS-affiliated conferences such as NEAIS and contributes to academic service through conference reviewing and engagement in doctoral collaboration activities. At UMass Lowell, he serves as the Treasurer of the Graduate Research Society, a doctoral student organization within the Manning School of Business, where he manages budgets, facilitates communication, and ensures transparency in financial operations. As a candidate for AIS DSC Secretary, he aims to strengthen communication, inclusiveness, and transparency across the global doctoral community by enhancing information sharing and coordination.