Brian Bergman, PH.D.

Brian Bergman, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Management in the A.B. Freeman School of Business. In this role, his research, teaching, and service to the Tulane community focus on social entrepreneurship. Through his international development background, he has worked in a variety of organizational and cultural settings, from developing public health policies for UN affiliates in Switzerland, to supporting the creation of community-owned social ventures in rural Kenya. He has also designed social impact measurement courses alongside social entrepreneurs in Guatemala and Ecuador. His research is broadly tied to understanding how entrepreneurs and communities organize to solve systemic problems (poverty, climate change, etc.) and create positive social and economic change. His work in these areas can be found in several of the top business journals, including the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Business Venturing, and Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice.

As the Paul Tudor Jones II Professor of Social Entrepreneurship (2022-2025), Dr. Bergman looks forward to supporting the Taylor Center’s efforts and enhancing the scholarship, course offerings, and extracurricular opportunities for students in the areas of social entrepreneurship and innovation across Tulane’s campus. Specifically, over his term, he intends to initiate a series of research studies focused on the dynamics between social entrepreneurs and stakeholder groups to develop new courses at the Freeman School of Business in social entrepreneurship (available to all Tulane students), and to organize an annual event for students, faculty, and community partners focusing on key social problems facing New Orleans and the broader region.

Prior to joining Tulane, Dr. Bergman received his Ph.D. in Entrepreneurship from Indiana University, where he received multiple teaching and research awards, including the Kelley School of Business’s Outstanding Doctoral Student Award, Panschar Undergraduate Teaching Award, and three research awards. He also holds a Master’s degree in International Development from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) at the University of Pittsburgh and a B.A. in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs from Miami University. Prior to pursuing his Ph.D., Dr. Bergamn served as Assistant Director of Miami University’s Center for Social Entrepreneurship, a pioneer in social entrepreneurship education for undergraduates.