Editor's Note
Sam Yam Kai Chi, associate professor at NUS Business School, is recognized as a rising star in organizational behavior and psychological science. For his early career contributions, he has won two of the most prestigious international awards.
Major awards
The Association for Psychological Science (APS) has awarded Sam Yam Kai Chi Associate Professor the 2022 Janet Taylor Spence Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to his early career. The award is recognized as the most prestigious early career award in psychology, with past winners becoming full-time professors at institutions such as Harvard, Stanford and Yale.
Assoc Prof Yam also received the 2022 Science Award for Outstanding Early Career Contributions from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). Presented by the UK's premier professional association for workplace scientific research, the award is widely regarded by academia as the most prestigious early career award in organisational behaviour and human resources.
Both awards are awarded based on a scholar's work in his or her early career, i.e. within seven years from the date of earning his doctorate. The award focuses on the quality and quantity of research work, while also measuring the impact of research work on society.
Recent research
Assoc Prof Yam's research includes leadership, business ethics and the future of work. His recent leadership research provides a meticulous analysis of how the pandemic has affected the support of political leaders around the world and has had a significant impact on election outcomes. He also examines the responsibility of businesses to society, emphasizing the importance of building a positive social image, as well as the pitfalls of a lack of corporate culture.
Assoc Prof Yam said: "When we study the psychology behind people's behavior or behavior in groups, we can better understand management psychology. My research helps leaders recognize implicit bias and guides them on how to better attract and retain talent, as well as drive collective performance and growth. These insights are especially important in today's world, where the pandemic and changing social and technological norms are rapidly changing the way we work. ”
Assoc Prof Yam, Source: NUS website
In 2016, Assoc Prof Yam was named one of the 40 best business professors under the age of 40 by the U.S. ranking website Pots and Quants. He was the youngest on the list of awarded professors that year, including professors from Harvard, Yale and Oxford. In 2017, he was named a rising star by the Psychological Science Association. He has published 49 research papers, more than half of which have been published in top organizational behavior and psychology journals. He has also received several Best Paper Awards from the Academy of Management.
Assoc Prof Yam joined NUS Business School in 2015 and is currently Dean's Chair and Assistant Dean. He is also Associate Dean of the School of Management and Organization and was hired as Associate Dean of the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Social Sciences. He is passionate about teaching and actively translates his research into classroom teaching. In 2019 and 2021, he received the NUS Business School Teaching Excellence Award.
Assoc Prof Yam, PhD in Organizational Behavior at the University of Washington, said, "I am very grateful to my supervisors, as well as the many co-authors and NUS PhD students I have worked with. I would also like to thank NUS for providing me with a wealth of resources for my success, including funding, time, and senior mentors. I hope to expose more students to the research of organisational behaviour and psychological science and to train researchers in these fields for Singapore. ”