W. G. "Will" Zhao is an Associate Professor of Organization and Human Behavior at the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business, Faculty of Arts, University of Waterloo. He holds cross-appointments with the Department of Management Science and Engineering and the Department of Systems Design Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering, and is a University of Waterloo-Approved Doctoral Dissertation Supervisor. A French-Canadian dual national, Professor Zhao earned his PhD from the French Grande Ecole EMLYON Business School and pursued postdoctoral research at Stanford University as a SCANCOR scholar. Over the course of his academic career, he has received multiple awards for teaching and research at both faculty and university levels.
At the core of Professor Zhao’s work is Human-Centered Innovation Research (HCIR), a multidisciplinary agenda examining how ethical reflection and artistic sensibilities can guide technological advancement in ways that meaningfully enhance human well-being. His research integrates organizational theory, human-computer interaction, and systems thinking, and employs methods ranging from linguistic and semiotic analysis to arts-based and embodied approaches, as well as computational techniques such as machine learning and data analytics. Professor Zhao’s current projects converge on three interconnected themes of innovation: 1) Organizational innovation, i.e., how innovations are generated, acquired, and scaled in complex environments; 2) Governance of emerging technologies, focusing on the ethical and regulatory challenges of artificial intelligence and related fields; 3) Applied AI and extended reality engineering, i.e., designing human-centered applications that improve experiential quality and promote well-being.
His scholarship particularly informs service sectors where human flourishing is directly at stake, including health, education, finance, and the creative industries. To advance his multidisciplinary research, Dr. Zhao has held visiting or external faculty positions at other leading Canadian institutions, such as the University of Toronto Mississauga and the Ivey Business School at Western University -- opportunities that broaden his perspectives and deepen his collaborations. Outside the classroom and his lab, Professor Zhao actively engages with industry and societal stakeholders, bridging research with practice through entrepreneurial initiatives, partnerships, and public engagement to drive meaningful impact.
