John Bitzan, professor of management, has been named associate dean for accreditation and research in the NDSU College of Business. His new duties began on Jan. 2.
His responsibilities include working with the dean and department chairs to assure continued accreditation for the college; implementing and overseeing changes to advance the college’s research focus and align with university goals; introducing new research programs and incentives; and promoting increased opportunities for faculty and students to engage with the community.
“I’m most excited about the positive direction in which the College of Business is headed, and the role I will get to play in helping shape the future of the college,” Bitzan said. “The college is expanding its programs to be more relevant to students and employers, it is improving the quality and quantity of its research and it is fostering stronger ties with the local community. I believe the future is very bright for the College of Business and NDSU, and I want to be a part of it.”
Bitzan came to NDSU in 1990, first with the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute and then joining College of Business faculty in 2003.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Cloud State University, master’s degree at Marquette University and doctorate in economics with specializations in industrial organization and labor economics from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He had a postdoctoral fellowship at Northwestern University.
His research interests include market structure and performance, regulatory change, and transport economics. His work on railroad costs and railroad regulation has been cited in reports by the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as used by European countries, Russia and Australia. Bitzan’s latest work focuses on airline efficiency and airport economics.
His professional activities include being vice president-programs for the Transportation Research Forum, associate editor for the Journal of the Transportation Research Forum, an editorial advisory board member for Advances in Airline Economics and a member of the Transportation and Public Utilities Group.
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