2025 Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors: Sydney Scott, Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis

Sydney Scott
Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis

“Sydney Scott is an awesome professor who makes marketing research fun and easy to get. I took two of her classes, and she always kept things interesting with real-life examples and class discussions. She explains tricky concepts in a way that actually makes sense and gets students thinking. You can tell she really loves what she teaches, and that energy makes a huge difference in the classroom.” – Matthew Lux

Sydney E. Scott, 34, is an associate professor of marketing at Olin Business School. She conducts research on the psychology of consumer decisions, with a particular focus on moral judgment, naturalness and sustainability, and health decision-making. She investigates topics such as what drives consumer attitudes to genetically engineered food, when and why consumers prefer “natural” products, and how consumers try to improve and maintain their health.

Scott has published over a dozen papers in distinguished journals, including Nature Human Behaviour, Psychological Science, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer Research, and Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 

Her work has garnered attention from The New York Times, The Guardian, and NPR. 

In 2023, she was named a Marketing Science Institute Young Scholar, an honor awarded to scholars “whose work suggests they are potential leaders of the ‘next generation’ of marketing academics.” In 2024, she received the Provost’s Research Excellence Recognition for her research contributions.

BACKGROUND

At current institution since what year? 2017

Education: PhD in Marketing & Psychology from the Wharton School of Business at University of Pennsylvania. BA and MA in Psychology, also from the University of Pennsylvania.

List of MBA courses you currently teach: Marketing Research I, Advanced Marketing Research

TELL US ABOUT LIFE AS A BUSINESS SCHOOL PROFESSOR

I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when…  I learned about all the interesting (and interdisciplinary) topics business school professors tackle.

What are you currently researching and what is the most significant discovery you’ve made from it?  One topic I am interested in is attitudes towards natural products.  Naturalness has a very powerful appeal. I’ve found part of it is a moral appeal. Many people think nature is sacred and benevolent, natural is morally superior, and unnatural (like genetically engineered foods) is morally inferior. Part of it is also about beliefs that natural products create good outcomes—especially, safe outcomes.  But, people don’t unconditionally worship nature. For example, they think natural medicine is less powerful, and so while that is appealing for preventing disease, when people want to cure a disease, they become more interested in “unnatural” medicine. 

If I weren’t a business school professor…  I’d probably be trying to understand and improve the impact of government policies or non-profit efforts.    

What do you think makes you stand out as a professor? Enthusiasm

One word that describes my first time teaching: Hectic

Here’s what I wish someone would’ve told me about being a business school professor: People told me teaching would be hard and stressful (it is), but they didn’t talk about how fun and rewarding it is too! 

Professor I most admire and why:  Besides my advisors Paul Rozin and Deb Small (because that’s a cop-out), I’d pick Jonathan Baron.  He is an exceptionally clear thinker and writer, tackles interesting questions, and still will help dig into your data (even when he is not a coauthor).  I aspire to have his intellectual curiosity, rigor, and energy!  

TEACHING MBA STUDENTS

What do you enjoy most about teaching business students? Definitely their engagement and their questions and stories! I love talking about what they are doing and how to figure out the right decision using data.  

What is most challenging? The same thing that makes it exciting! No year is ever the same, and every student has new questions, contexts and applications they are thinking about in their own career trajectory. 

In one word, describe your favorite type of student: Curious

In one word, describe your least favorite type of student: Self-centered

When it comes to grading, I think students would describe me as… Fair (I hope!) 

LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM

What are your hobbies? I play Dungeons and Dragons every week with my friends.

How will you spend your summer? During the weekdays, I’ll be doing research in the office and at coffee shops. I’ll probably spend my weekends with friends and family enjoying some restaurants with patios, museums, parks, and farmers markets. 

Favorite place(s) to vacation: Anywhere I can see, do, and learn new things! 

Favorite book(s): Emma by Jane Austen 

What is currently your favorite movie and/or show and what is it about the film or program that you enjoy so much? Right now, I’m watching Somebody Somewhere – It’s a great study of ordinary lives, and it’s also heartwarming, funny, and very well-acted.  

What is your favorite type of music or artist(s) and why? Anything I listened to as a teenager holds a special place in my heart—The Foo Fighters and Radiohead, especially. 

THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS

If I had my way, the business school of the future would have much more of this… teaching how to think about, interact with, and communicate to people.  It is a fundamental part of any position, whether it is leading a team, talking to your boss, or telling people why your product is important. 

In my opinion, companies and organizations today need to do a better job at… helping people take perspective and think about what another person needs and wants.

I’m grateful for… having a job that I’m excited to go to every day! 

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