Pradhan, Sean
Assistant Professor of Sport Management
Department of Kinesiology
College of Health & Human Sciences
Primary: [email protected]
Education
- Doctor of Philosophy, Sport Management, University of Michigan
- Master of Arts, Research & Experimental Psychology, San José State University
- Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, San Francisco State University
Bio
Dr. Sean Pradhan is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management in the Department of Kinesiology. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Dr. Pradhan completed his doctorate at the University of Michigan before beginning his career as a project associate (applied statistician) at NASA Ames Research Center, working in the Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory as part of the San José State University Research Foundation – NASA Human Factors Cooperative Agreement. He has taught sport management and research methods at the University of Michigan, as well as statistics, survey design, and research writing at San José State University, where he now currently teaches sports marketing, sports psychology, and exercise technology.
Dr. Pradhan's research program takes an interdisciplinary approach, situated at the intersection of Sport Management, Sleep Science, Psychology, and Analytics. His specific research interests include: (1) applying statistical models, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to examine how travel and circadian rhythms affect sports performance; (2) using experimental and quantitative methods to investigate sports fan behavior, including how marketing efforts influence collegiate and professional sports consumers, such as the National Basketball Association's (NBA) jersey patch program; and (3) utilizing personality assessments to understand how psychological traits shape performance among collegiate and professional athletes. His recent work has examined team and player performance in the WNBA and NBA, driver performance in Formula 1, and salary cap allocation strategy in both the NBA and National Football League. He also investigates the impact of athlete behavior and sponsorship initiatives on sports consumption and fan behavior.
Dr. Pradhan's research has been published in a variety of journals including the Journal of Sport Management, Journal of Sports Analytics, Sport Marketing Quarterly, International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, The International Journal of Sport & Society, Journal of Sleep Research, and Scientific Reports. He has also presented his research at various regional, national, and international conferences, such as the North American Society for Sport Management Annual Conference, Sport Marketing Association Annual Conference, Western Psychological Association Convention, International Conference on Sport & Society, SLEEP Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, among others.
A lifelong Bay Area sports fan, Dr. Pradhan follows the Golden State Warriors, San Francisco 49ers, and San José Sharks. As a fan of the game, he also maintains an appreciation for the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, and Carolina Panthers, evidence that his fandom, much like his research, refuses to stay in one lane. He remains an active supporter of his alma maters' athletic programs, including the University of Michigan Wolverines and naturally, the San José State University Spartans.