Purdue HTM Welcomes Wang as Assistant Professor

Two millennial women female friends sitting outdoors eating takeaway food, laughing and having fun. Food delivery and takeout.

Author: Abby Lillpop

The White Lodging–J.W. Marriott, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Purdue University is excited to welcome Dr. Peihao (pay-how) Wang as a new assistant professor.

Wang’s ties to Indiana run deep – he describes the five years he spent studying and working in the state as “the best five years of my life.” Those formative experiences prepared him for an accomplished academic journey that includes a master’s degree from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a PhD in business administration with a concentration in tourism and sports management from Temple University’s Fox School of Business.

This semester, Wang is teaching HTM 357: Disruption and Innovation in Hospitality & Tourism, a course designed to help students identify innovative trends in the industry, understand the challenges that come with them, and develop their own entrepreneurial approaches. “I really enjoy teaching this course because I have the best students in my class who always inspire me to reflect and learn,” he shared.

Wang’s research focuses on service innovation and experience design, intending to enhance well-being for customers, service providers, and communities. He has a particular passion for AI innovation and digital platforms in service settings – a topic he admits he could happily talk about for an entire day. His scholarship has been recognized with multiple honors, including the ICHRIE Best Dissertation Proposal Award and the Dean’s Outstanding Research Awards from Temple University. He also contributes to the field as Vice Chair of Strategic Initiatives for ICHRIE’s Special Interest Group.

For Wang, joining Purdue HTM is both a professional milestone and a personal dream, “being a Boilermaker is an incredible honor to me and a dream-come-true moment. By joining Purdue HTM, I am able to continue the Indiana pride and learn from the best people. I am also super excited to collaborate with excellent researchers in our department and other disciplines, as well as with industry practitioners, to enhance our stakeholders’ experience and well-being.”

Looking ahead, Wang is committed to making an impact in both the classroom and in research. “Teaching-wise, I hope to leverage my industry experience and research knowledge to help students learn the most cutting-edge knowledge and succeed in their careers. Research-wise, I hope to use my outcomes to supplement my teaching and help our stakeholders solve real-world challenges,” he said.

Outside of work, Wang enjoys street dance and boxing, passions that reflect his energy and creativity – qualities that will no doubt enrich his contributions to Purdue HTM.

With his dedication to innovation, collaboration, and student success, Dr. Wang strengthens Purdue HTM’s mission to shape the future of hospitality and tourism through education, research, and industry engagement.