Head of School

Professor Palie Smart's research and teaching interests are in the fields of operations and innovation management. Current research is focussed on new models of innovation for industrial sustainability in partnership with The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), The Engineering Employers Federation (EEF UK/Europe), The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Accenture Sustainability Consulting and The Academy of Business (ABIS) in Society.

She has published in various world leading and internationally excellent journals - Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) and Global Top 50 Financial Times (FT) Journals which include Research Policy (CABS 4* & FT50), Journal of Product Innovation Management (CABS 4), British Journal of Management (CABS 4), International Journal of Operations and Production Management (CABS 4), International Journal of Management Reviews (CABS 3), R&D Management (CABS 3) and International Journal of Production Economics (CABS 4).

In 2017, she became an appointed member of the UK Government's Innovation Caucus to provide thought leadership to Innovate UK, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. She recently led a new research report on Science-based Sustainability Targets with the Co-Chair Barry Sheerman MP of the All-Party Parliamentary Manufacturing Group. In April 2018 Palie was invited to become a Trustee of the Research and Developement Management Association (RADMA).  She is keen to support inclusion agendas and led The FTSE 100 Women in Manufacturing EEF Report launched with the former Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Rt Hon. Dr Vincent Cable. Past leadership roles include the Director of the PhD Programme, school representative for REF Strategy Board and Deputy Director of the Innovation Leadership Centre at Cranfield School of Management.