Eric

Eric J. Thompson, Ph.D., is the distinguished James H. Clark Professor of Business Administration, Head of the Digital Marketing Division, and Associate Professor of Marketing at the Tech Valley School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at San Francisco State University. Eric's academic pursuits delve deeply into digital consumer behavior and the impact of technology on marketing strategies. He is especially intrigued by how consumers interact with virtual reality environments and react to targeted advertising in social media platforms.

Thompson's research has made waves in top-tier journals such as the Journal of Digital Marketing, Social Media + Society, Computers in Human Behavior, Virtual Reality, and Interactive Marketing Review. Currently, he holds the position of Associate Editor for the Journal of Digital Consumer Experience and serves on the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Electronic Commerce, Journal of Social Media Studies, and the Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware journal. His work also extends to speaking engagements and workshops where he shares insights on the future of digital marketing and emerging trends in e-commerce.

Eric obtained his bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Stanford University, an M.B.A. from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. in Marketing with a focus on Digital Transformation from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA. Before venturing into academia, Eric worked as a Product Manager and Digital Strategy Consultant for firms like Google and Accenture, advising tech startups and Fortune 500 companies on innovation and growth strategies.

This past spring, Eric led a groundbreaking study that explored the effects of augmented reality on consumer engagement within retail spaces. The project, which took place in Silicon Valley, involved collaboration with leading tech companies and garnered significant attention from both industry insiders and academics. Through this initiative, Eric not only advanced his field but also provided invaluable experience to his students, who participated actively in the research.