Accounting Professor Collaborates with Students to Publish Research about Emerging Technologies

At BGSU’s College of Business, it’s not just about faculty mentoring students to find jobs. Students also have the unique opportunity to work with faculty members to enhance their careers through publishing scholarly articles, even if they don’t plan on pursuing positions in academia.

Dr. Pascal Bizarro, associate professor of accounting, is one such faculty member who has collaborated with nearly a dozen Master of Accountancy (MAcc) students over the past six years to publish research that helps bring insight of emerging technologies to accounting practitioners.

One of Dr. Bizarro’s latest articles has been accepted for publication with the ISACA Journal and was co-authored with Emily Crum, a MAcc student graduating in August. Their article focused on the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) into the financial audit process. According to Crum, they discovered many different technologies with the ability to automate tedious, time-consuming tasks. Their research found that AI enables auditors to spend more time reviewing and applying judgment to test results and ultimately improving the overall quality and confidence in the audit. Implementation of AI does not mean eliminating auditing positions as some fear.

Crum says her college experience was greatly enhanced by working with a faculty member to submit her first article. “By collaborating with a published faculty member, I was provided with knowledge of the academic writing and publishing process while being encouraged to continue improving the article after receiving comments.”

After graduation, Crum will be joining EY in Charlotte, NC, in their risk advisor program. She says she hopes to work with her firm to implement AI tools to better serve EY’s clients and continue to educate herself and others on emerging topics. “I have become passionate about becoming a thought leader in my field when it comes to early adoption of new technologies.”

Jacob Nix ’12, ‘13 is a graduate of BGSU’s undergraduate and graduate accounting programs and collaborated with Dr. Bizarro while attending BGSU on an article about the risks and benefits of mobile devices in a corporate setting. He says that one of his proudest moments at the University was the day their article was published in the ISACA Journal.

“Completing this type of research project in collaboration with undergraduate and graduate students helps me stay current with technological innovations impacting the accounting profession and share the research findings in all my courses,” states Dr. Bizarro.

He continues by emphasizing the impact of the research on the students’ educational experience and their resume building. Multiple students mentioned they are interested in pursuing a doctoral program. These publications also increase the reputation of BGSU in the practitioner’s world.

Dr. Bizarro has an extended list of published articles about emerging technologies such as blockchain and cyber security. In 2019, he published an article about anti-money laundering with a graduate student from Korea, Dong Cho. The professor is president of the Northwest Ohio Chapter of ISACA and a board member and academic advocate of the Northwest Ohio Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).

The accounting professor continues to mentor his previous students, such as Nix, who recently presented both at the Northwest Ohio ISACA and IIA chapter meetings about the risks all organizations face in data privacy and data compliance.