The G. Brint Ryan College of Business is proud to celebrate doctoral student Niloufar Safdarianghomsheh, who received the 2026 Best Conceptual Paper Award at the prestigious Babson College Diana International Research Conference (DIRC)—one of the world's leading conferences dedicated to entrepreneurship research.

Her paper "From "Mom" to Money: The Semiotics of Category Congruence and Cultural Origin in Crowdfunding Success" is co-authored with Dr. Manjula Salimath, Professor of Management, at the University of North Texas.

Safdarianghomsheh is honored to be the first to represent the University of North Texas and the Department of Management in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business at the Diana International Research Conference, marking a significant milestone for both the college and the university.

The annual conference brings together leading entrepreneurship scholars from many of the world's top universities to share groundbreaking research and ideas. This year's conference featured researchers from globally recognized institutions and editorial leaders from premier academic journals, including the Journal of Business Venturing (JBV), Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice (ETP), and the Journal of Small Business Management (JSBM).

Receiving the conference's Best Conceptual Paper Award is a remarkable achievement that recognizes the originality, significance, and scholarly contribution of Safdarianghomsheh's research. Her recognition also brings increased international visibility to the University of North Texas and the G. Brint Ryan College of Business, demonstrating the college's growing influence in entrepreneurship research.

"This recognition reflects not only the excellence of Niloufar's scholarship, but also the strength of our doctoral program and our commitment to advancing impactful entrepreneurship research," said Dr. Nolan Gaffney, Chair of the Department of Management.

Congratulations to Niloufar Safdarianghomsheh and Manjula Salimath on this outstanding accomplishment and for representing the Ryan College of Business with distinction on the international stage.