With decades of experience spanning engineering, innovation research, and academic leadership, Dr. Sebastian Fixson shares what inspired him to launch Babson College’s first-everDoctor of Business Administration (DBA) program and why the DBA is uniquely positioned to bridge the long-standing gap between academic rigor and real-world relevance.

An internationally recognized scholar and founding Faculty Director of the Babson DBA, Sebastian reflects onhow applied research, entrepreneurial leadership, and learning facilitation come together to create a doctoral experience designed for impact. Drawing on his background as a mechanical engineer trained in Germany and his PhD from MIT, he brings a systems-thinking lens to innovation, leadership, and program design.

Listeners will:

• Hear about how DBA program is designed grounded in applied research, entrepreneurial leadership, and learningfacilitation
• Learn how design thinking and user research to shape a doctoral program from the ground up
• See the DBA as a powerful vehicle for integrating, not merely translating, research and practice
• Understand the misalignment between academic and industry incentive systems and how DBA programs can help close that gap
• Explore how digital tools and AI are reshaping innovation work and doctoral learning

In this conversation, hosts Dr. Kelly Burch and Dr. ValrieGrant explore Dr. Fixon’s vision for applied doctoral education, his commitment to expanding the impact of academic research, and what excites him most about Babson’s inaugural DBA cohorts. The discussion also touches on innovationleadership, teamwork, and how scholars can contribute to fairer, more adaptable organizations in a rapidly changing world.

 Why This Episode Matters

This episode offers a thoughtful, behind-the-scenes look athow a modern DBA program is intentionally designed to serve both scholarship and practice. For current and prospective DBA students, faculty, and academic leaders, Sebastian’s insights illuminate what it takes to build meaningfulbridges between research, leadership, innovation, and real-world impact.

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