Mexico City | May 7, 2026 — Universidad Panamericana , continues to expand its international research presence through strategic collaborations with leading institutions worldwide. As part of this commitment, Dr. Félix Martínez Ríos, a full-time research professor in the Faculty of Engineering and a Level I member of Mexico’s National System of Researchers (SNII), recently completed a research stay at Harvard Business School (HBS) in Boston.
During his visit, Dr. Martínez collaborated with two leading researchers from the Digital Data Design Institute at Harvard to develop a cutting-edge research project exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), digital technologies, and decision-making in business environments.
This collaboration began as a result of an initiative led by Dr. Santiago García, Chancellor of the Mexico City campus of the Universidad Panamericana. It was further strengthened following Dr. Martínez’s participation in an international conference in Lisbon, Portugal, where he connected with researchers from Harvard’s Digital Data Design Institute.
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Improve Decision-Making
The collaborative project focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence and digital technologies to create meaningful value for businesses and society.
“Our overarching objective is to conduct controlled interventions within companies that use digital technologies in their operational processes—even if they are not currently using AI—to evaluate how these technologies improve decision-making,” Dr. Martínez said.
The research will examine how artificial intelligence can be effectively combined with human judgment and local contextual knowledge to improve economic decision-making across large-scale digital platforms.
The project is based on empirical evidence generated through randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and real-world administrative data, with a particular focus on labor markets, business development, and multinational experimentation.
Collaborating with Researchers at Harvard Business School
During his research visit, Dr. Martínez worked closely with Rem Koning, Director of the Tech Lab—which provides technological support to all research laboratories within the Harvard Business School AI Institute—and Professor Hossein Alidaee, Principal Investigator at the Tech Lab.
“Both Harvard professors have extensive experience conducting these types of experiments. My contribution will draw on my expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the design of advanced learning models and information extraction techniques,” Dr. Martínez said.
Advancing the Research Mission of the Universidad Panamericana
For the University, this international collaboration represents an important step toward achieving its long-term strategic objectives.
“Research is one of the cornerstones of Universidad Panamericana’s strategic plan. Beyond advancing fundamental science, our goal is to ensure that research outcomes have a meaningful impact on businesses and society as a whole,” Dr. Martínez said.
As an immediate next step, he will assemble a multidisciplinary research team composed of faculty members from across the campus to identify partner companies where the project’s experimental methodologies and analytical models can be implemented.
Research with a Global Reach
Dr. Martínez emphasized the importance of collaborating with one of the world’s leading academic institutions.
“The support provided by the Campus Vice Presidency for Research for this research stay has been invaluable. It has given me the opportunity to collaborate with an outstanding research team at Harvard Business School—one of the world’s leading institutions in this field,” he said.
Looking ahead, he highlighted the broader impact of the partnership:
“For Universidad Panamericana, this collaboration will enhance the international visibility and impact of our research through joint publications with Harvard faculty. More importantly, it will enable us to develop initiatives that generate tangible benefits for businesses and society while promoting the responsible use of computing technologies—and, in particular, artificial intelligence.”
To learn more about the researchers at the Universidad Panamericana, visit: https://www.up.edu.mx/investigacion/nuestros-investigadores/
