The Adaptive Edge Institute at Illinois State University is pleased to announce the appointment of the inaugural cohort of faculty fellows, who will be starting their work with the institute in January 2026: Dr. Aaron Pitluck, professor of sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Sandeep Jagani, associate professor of operations management in the College of Business.
Pitluck and Jagani were selected through a competitive application process to work on two projects related to student success. Pitluck’s project will explore how generative AI can be used to support instructors in large classes. Jagani’s project will pair advanced automation techniques with student data to streamline assessment processes for accreditation purposes, allowing departments to observe student progress more easily.
Both fellows will work throughout the spring 2026 semester with the institute’s staff to conduct their research. The fellowship program aims to create lasting insights into the use of emerging technologies that can be applied across the University to drive innovation and support the success of students, faculty, and staff, reinforcing priorities outlined in Excellence by Design: 2024-2030.
Pitluck is a professor of sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Illinois State University. He joined the faculty in 2005.
He is an economic sociologist who studies contemporary capitalism from a cultural and postcolonial perspective. Among other topics, his publications have explored professional investor behavior in equity and debt markets and explored how moral and ethical norms, beliefs, and values are interwoven in markets. Pitluck’s current research investigates the creative and experimental creation of an Islamic banking and finance industry, with extensive research in Malaysia.
He has held research fellowships with the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study and the Political Economy Research Group at Central European University. Last academic year, he was also a Visiting Scholar with the American Bar Foundation.
Pitluck teaches a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses such as Introduction to Sociology and Capitalism, Finance and Society. He earned the Outstanding College Teacher Award in the Social Sciences Division from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2024-25 and has received Impact Awards in 2014, 2020, and 2025.
Jagani is an associate professor of operations management in the College of Business at Illinois State University. He has served at Illinois State since 2017. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in operations and quality management.
Jagani holds a Ph.D. in manufacturing and technology management from the University of Toledo. His diverse educational background also includes an MBA from the University of Toledo with concentrations in marketing, international business, and finance, as well as a B.E. in chemical engineering from Veer Narmad South Gujarat University. He is also a Certified Six Sigma Green Belt through the American Society for Quality (ASQ).
His research interests lie in sustainable operations management and technology management. His scholarship has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, including the International Journal of Production Economics, Business Strategy & the Environment, Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, Journal of Services Marketing, and the Journal of Cleaner Production.
Jagani was named the COB Outstanding Researcher for 2024-25. His commitment to the classroom has been recognized with the Manahan Teaching Excellence Award, the Wisdom’s Torch Teaching and Learning Award, and two Outstanding MBA Professor awards.
Future opportunities for fellowships and other ways of collaborating with the institute will be released during the spring 2026 semester. For questions about the institute, please visit AdaptiveEdge.IllinoisState.edu or email AdaptiveEdge@IllinoisState.edu.
