Tom van Laer’s research explores how storytelling and fiction can influence people’s actions and decisions. Recognized as the leading expert globally, he occupies the top position on Elsevier’s SciVal top 100 list for the most-cited researchers in this domain. His approach to research is truly interdisciplinary, adeptly bridging paradigms and mixing methodologies from behavioural experiments and quantitative modelling to in-depth interpretive research.
Tom’s papers are published in the most prestigious academic journals, including the Journal of Consumer Research, International Journal of Research in Marketing, Journal of Management Information Systems, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Interactive Marketing, and Journal of Service Research, to name just a few. He has a unique talent for enriching various academic conversations, whether through theoretical, strategic, or methodological contributions. His two most recent contributions to the Journal of Consumer Research (2019, 2023) particularly set a benchmark for how to address complex questions with clarity and insight, according to the editorial team.
Tom's research has not only captured the academic world’s attention but has also garnered extensive media attention across the globe, including coverage by prominent outlets in Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US, and interviews on national television and radio.
Among his array of accolades for research, teaching, and media engagement, Tom holds dear a personal victory from his youth: winning his high school's story read-aloud contest in 1995. This early achievement not only showcases his lifelong passion for storytelling but also symbolizes the depth of his commitment to exploring and understanding narrative's power.
University of Sydney Business School Translation Publication Awards, City University of London Academic Staff Prize for outstanding contribution to Teaching and Learning, The Australian & New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference 2014 prize for Best Paper in the Sustainable Marketing Track, Syntec Academic Management Research Award Category Marketing / Decision Sciences, etc.