Dr Siran Zhan

Dr. Siran Zhan is a senior lecturer (assistant professor) in the School of Management and Governance at UNSW Business School. Siran co-leads (with Salih Ozdemir) the strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship research cluster.

Siran applies a psychological lens to investigate complex issues concerning innovation and entrepreneurship. For example, she has conducted a series of studies that shed light on the social (e.g., culture) and individual (e.g., identity, cognition, and emotions) determinants of creative and entrepreneurial performance. In Siran's more recent research program, she examines the consequences of entrepreneurship: career implications of entrepreneurial experimentation for individual entrepreneurs and talent management implications for organizations that hire former entrepreneurs.

In addition, Siran coaches aspiring entrepreneurs in UNSW's undergraduate and post-graduate programs. She co-designed (with Melodie Cartel) a 10-week incubator-style startup course and has led a team of tutors to deliver it multiple times a year. Students learn and practice critical skills of the lean startup methodology: design thinking, problem identification, ideation, prototyping, hypothesis testing and validation, business modelling, and pitching for investment. Since 2018, Siran has trained over 1000 students to develop, test, and pitch over 200 startup ideas. Some students went on to participate and win in startup competitions and successfully launch their businesses. More students went on to apply the lean startup skills gained in the course to initiate or improve innovative projects at work and in their communities. 

Siran is open to collaborating with researchers and industry and government partners to deliver research-based insights and solutions to their challenges in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship and managing innovative and entrepreneurial talents through consulting, training, and speaking.