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Join this event to explore how multidisciplinary research is reshaping our understanding of sustainability and driving meaningful change across organisations, finance, and society.
Thursday 25 June 2026, 2.30-4.00pm
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shaping-a-sustainable-future-polyvocal-views-tickets-1991183978882?aff=oddtdtcreator
Overview
Sustainability challenges are increasingly complex, requiring insights that cross disciplinary boundaries and engage with diverse perspectives. This session brings together researchers from accounting, finance, and management to explore how sustainability can be understood, problematised, and addressed at multiple levels of analysis.
Through a series of short presentations, our speakers will showcase different approaches to studying sustainability and promoting sustainable change. Drawing on their respective research areas, they will highlight how questions of environmental, social, and economic sustainability intersect with organisational practices, financial systems, governance structures, and broader societal challenges. Together, the session will demonstrate the value of a multidisciplinary perspective in developing more nuanced understandings of sustainability and its implications for policy, practice, and future research.
Whether you are actively engaged in sustainability research or simply interested in understanding how different disciplines approach sustainability challenges, this event offers an accessible introduction to contemporary debates and emerging research in the field.
Format
The event will feature contributions from Professor Gonul Colak, Dr Massimo Contrafatto, Dr Sumohon Matilal, and Dr Yang Cao. Each speaker will deliver a 10-minute presentation, followed by 5 minutes of audience questions and discussion.
The formal presentations will be followed by an informal networking session over tea and coffee, providing an opportunity for attendees to continue conversations, exchange ideas, and build connections across research communities.
| Time | Session | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 2.30–3.30 | Research presentations |
|
| 3.30–4.00 | Networking | Networking over tea and coffee |
About the speakers
- Professor Gonul Colak
Professor of Accounting and Finance and Head of the Department of Accounting and Finance at the University of Sussex Business School. His research focuses on corporate finance, sustainability and ESG, political uncertainty, financial markets, corporate governance, and financial intermediation. He has published extensively in leading international finance journals and has held academic and visiting positions at institutions including Hanken School of Economics, New York University, Florida State University, and Wichita State University. - Dr Massimo Contrafatto
Reader in Accounting and Accountability at the University of Sussex Business School and PhD Convenor in the Department of Accounting and Finance. His research focuses on accounting, accountability and sustainability, with particular interests in social and environmental accounting, organisational change, and the role of accounting in addressing complex societal challenges. He is the co-convenor of the "Sustainability, Accounting, Finance Economics & Management" (SAFE-M) research mobilisation group at the University of Sussex Business School. - Dr Sumohon Matilal
Associate Professor in Accounting at the University of Sussex Business School. His research adopts a critical accounting perspective, examining how accounting and accountability practices shape organisational and societal realities. He is the co-convenor of the "Sustainability, Accounting, Finance Economics & Management" (SAFE-M) research mobilisation group at the University of Sussex Business School, which draws academics from various disciplines to engage in the debate around sustainable transformation with business and practice. - Dr Yang Cao
Assistant Professor in Finance at the University of Sussex Business School. His research focuses on empirical corporate finance, financial econometrics, and sustainable finance. He studies how financial markets and corporate decision-making are influenced by information, risk, and sustainability-related factors. His work has been published in leading finance journals, including the Journal of Corporate Finance and the Journal of Empirical Finance.
Target audience
Researchers, postgraduate students, and anyone interested in sustainability, sustainable development, and multidisciplinary approaches to addressing contemporary societal challenges.
Summer of Research 2026
This event is part of the Summer of Research 2026, a two‑week festival of researcher‑led talks, workshops and events celebrating the breadth and impact of research at the University of Sussex. The festival brings together researchers, students and professional services colleagues to share ideas, build connections and explore opportunities for future collaboration.
Find out about and sign up for other exciting events here!