PAPERS

SELECT WORKING PAPERS Edgell, R. A., & Olney, J. (2025). The early sociotechnical challenge of commercializing orbital space: Comsat-Intelsat and matters of concern. AIAA Ascend Forum, 2025(1), forthcoming. Edgell, R. A., Henao, J. F., & Durgin, W. (2025). The future of sustainable aviation: Navigating the sociotechnical matters of concern. AIAA Aviation Forum, 2025(1), forthcoming. Henao, J. F., Edgell, R. A., Olney, J., & Sharma, A. (2024). Integrating AI in power systems: A sentiment analysis of emerging matters of concern. College of Business Working Papers. SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Utica, NY. Edgell, R. A. (2024). Framework for sustainable and affordable housing. College of Business Working Papers. SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Utica, NY. Note, this paper received SSRN's Top Ten download list designations from multiple eJournals. Edgell, R. A. (2023). Comsat-Intelsat and organizing for social creativity. College of Business Working Papers. SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Utica, NY. Edgell, R. A., & Olney, J. (2021). Grasping for the horizon: New views on institutionalization “stalls”. College of Business Working Papers. SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Utica, NY. RECENT PUBLICATIONS (CLICK TITLE TO VIEW) Edgell, R. A. (2025). Sociotechnical pathways: From satellites and stations to envisioning commercial lunar gateways and beyond. AIAA SciTech Forum, 2025(1), 0612. Edgell, R. A. (2024). The grand creative challenge of commercializing interplanetary space: An empirical comparative taxonomy of organizing models. Proceedings of the 75th International Astronautical Congress, IAC, Milan, Italy, 14-18 October. Edgell, R. A. (2024). A monstrous matter: The three faces of artificial creativity. Journal of Creativity, 34(1), 100075. Edgell, R. A., and Lee, D. (2023). Theorizing creative challenges: Why are social creativity and reimagined universities necessary for tackling society’s problems? Journal of Creativity, 33(2), 100051. Edgell, R. A., and Olney, J. P. (2023). The sociotechnical imaginaries of contemporary commercial space: Explicating Homo Galacticus, Techno-Utopianism, and Capitalistkind. AIAA SciTech Forum, 2023(1), 2396. Edgell, R. A., (2022). Grand challenges: The theoretics of discursive engagement, socio- temporal dilemmas, and impact. Academia Letters, Article 5164. Edgell, R. A., & Olney, J. P. (2021). Institutionalizing Outer Space: A sociotechnical explication of the Comsat- Intelsat actor-network. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2021(1), 10228. Edgell, R. A., & Olney, J. P. (2021). Interplanetary institutionalization: Should humans become space faring? Academia Letters, Article 531. Berardino, L., Edgell, R. A., Fronmueller, M., Olney, J. P., Peterson, D., & Zeina, E. (2019). Design culture, immersion, and visuo-spatial learning: Re-envisioning training. Business Education Innovation Journal, 11(2), 110-118. Edgell, R. A.. Khasawneh, F., & Moustafellos, J. (2018). Reimagining entrepreneurship: Design culture exposure as a positive mediator for entrepreneurial capacity. Journal of Creativity and Business Innovation, 4, 60-77. Edgell, R. A., & Moustafellos, J. (2017). Toward an architectural theory of innovation: Explicating design, networks, and microprocesses. Journal of Creativity and Business Innovation, 3, 5-34. Edgell, R. A. and Kimmich, P. (2015). A new view on innovation and language: Design culture, discursive practices, and metaphors. Journal of Creativity and Business Innovation, 1, 107-128. Yucel, I. and Edgell, R. A. (2015). Conceptualizing factors of adoption for head mounted displays: Toward an integrated multi- perspective framework. Journal of Virtual World Research, 8(2), 1-10. Edgell, R. A., Watson, D., Harasta, B., Pfyl, R., & Xu, Y. (2015). Explicating media, governance, and capitalism: A critical comparative analysis of historical cases. Corporate Board: Role, Duties and Composition, 11(1), 30-46. Edgell, R. A. (2014). A sociotechnological theory of discursive change and entrepreneurial capacity: Novelty and networks. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2014(1), 11258. Edgell, R. A. & Vogl, R. (2013). A theory of innovation: Benefit, harm, and legal regimes. Law, Innovation and Technology, 5(1), 21-53. Edgell, R. A. (2013). Developing nations and sustainable entrepreneurial policy: Growing into novelty, growing out of poverty. Journal of Applied Business Research, 2(1), 20-36. Edgell, R. A. & Vogl, R. (2011). A network view of human ingestion and health: Instrumental artificial intelligence. In B. Johnston, & M.-A. Williams (Eds.), Proceedings of the AAAI-11 (Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence) Workshops: AI and Smarter Living. San Francisco, CA: AAAI Press.

SCHOLARLY

ACHIEVEMENTS

CREATIVE CHALLENGES AND ENTREPRENEURIAL CAPACITY SOCIOTECHNICAL THEORY AND TRANSFORMATIONS DESIGN CULTURE AND SOCIAL CREATIVITY Dr. Edgell’s scholarship agenda expands upon his deep commitment to exploring the interdisciplinary intersections among economics, human behavior, the humanities, art, and design. He currently researches sociotechnical transformations, design culture, social creativity, and entrepreneurial capacity development. His research further develops the sociotechnical theories and practices by which collectives organize, assemble, and mobilize to tackle society’s most pressing and intractable creative challenges, ranging from grand opportunities such as the commercialization of interplanetary space to wicked problems including the matters of concern arising from the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. His work contributes theory development and testing of the microprocesses and institutional arrangements that enable social creativity capacity as a collective means for conceptualizing and redressing challenges. He has collaborated with scholars from Stanford University, Temple University, and other institutions. He has published several scholarly research articles and presented multiple conference papers. Several research projects have been featured on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute. Recently, he was awarded a $32,000 seed grant as the PI for sustainable aerospace research with co-PIs, Drs. Felipe Henao and William Durgin. He was formerly a co-PI recipient, with Dr. Daryl Lee, of a prestigious $100,000 National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Humanities Connections grant (9.5% acceptance rate) for Reimagining Entrepreneurship: An Integrated Pathway for Creative and Ethical Venturing. In addition, NYSTEC recently donated $25,000 for supporting his entrepreneurial Initiatives and related research at the College of Business. In 2017, the SUNY System awarded Dr. Edgell and Dr. Lee a $40,000 Performance Improvement Funds (PIF) grant. He has earned the Social Sciences Research Network (SSRN) top 1.7% of Authors designation based on total new downloads. Recent Abstracts The grand creative challenge of commercializing interplanetary space: An empirical comparative taxonomy of organizing models: The phenomenon of creating a sustainable and commercial human presence in interplanetary space is a complex, multifaceted endeavor comprising several social and technological considerations. While public-private partnership (PPP) organizing models offer potential solutions by aligning diverse expertise and resources, they are not well understood. The paper investigates the dominant models, the reasons for their varying effectiveness, and the theoretical factors that predict these variations. The study employs a comparative case study method, analyzing four representative cases: Comsat-Intelsat Network, Apollo Moon Program, Commercial Crew Program, and Space Tourism Services. By applying sociotechnical systems theory with a multi-level perspective framework, the research identifies four distinct PPP models: enterprise, coordination, harmonization, and future-forward. The analysis reveals that the effectiveness of these models is predominantly influenced by their underlying philosophical orientations, namely pragmatism and rationalism, along with power and alignment practices, desired transformational impacts, and the specific conditions of the space phenomenon. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of PPPs as development interventions and offer predictions for policymakers and practitioners aiming to leverage these models for achieving sustainable interplanetary space commercialization. The early sociotechnical challenge of commercializing orbital space: Comsat- Intelsat and matters of concern: This research examines the challenges of commercializing orbital space, focusing on the historical case of the Comsat-Intelsat Network (CIN). It argues that public-private enterprise (PPE) models are crucial for navigating the complexities of space ventures, especially under conditions of low readiness, high risks, difficult to estimate costs, and long temporal horizons involved. The paper addresses the need for a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of PPEs and their ability to manage complex social, political, and technical dynamics. The study uses the concept of Matters of Concern (MCs) to identify and analyze dominant controversies in early space commercialization. These MCs include challenges arising from commercialization, stabilization, prognostication, and systematization. The research provides a detailed analysis of CIN's evolution, highlighting the tensions and debates that arose around these MCs. The findings suggest that successful PPEs in space require a careful balance of government intervention and private sector autonomy, as well as effective strategies for managing geopolitical tensions, technological uncertainties, and international cooperation. The document concludes by proposing a theoretical framework for PPEs in space commercialization, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, inclusivity, and foresight in navigating the complex development landscape of cislunar and interplanetary space.

DR. ROBERT A. EDGELL

PH.D.

PROFESSOR OF TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT Dr. Edgell is currently a Professor of Technology Management in the College of Business at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. He has been recognized for both his scholarship and teaching, most recently receiving university funding as the Principal Investigator (PI) for the Sustainable Aerospace Energy Center (SAEC). His research focuses on sociotechnical transformations, design culture, and social creativity, contributing to the understanding of how collectives organize and mobilize to address society's most pressing challenges, from the commercialization of interplanetary space to the ethical concerns surrounding artificial intelligence. He teaches entrepreneurship, change and innovation, and project management primarily at the graduate level. Outside the classroom, he directs two co- curricular initiatives: Innovation Challenge New York (ICNY) and the New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC) for the Mohawk Valley region. Also, he is a past recipient of the coveted Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching and was co-PI for the NEH-funded Joint Center for Creativity, Design, and Venturing. Previously, Dr. Edgell was an Assistant Professor at American University’s Kogod School of Business where he was named Outstanding Faculty. He has been a Visiting Professor at the Swiss Business School in Zurich and has delivered research papers and lectures at Stanford University’s Law School, the University of California San Francisco’s School of Dentistry, the California College of the Arts, and the University of St. Gallen. Also, he has taught at San Francisco State University’s College of Business. Dr. Edgell has served in various leadership capacities as a department chair, interim dean, and on several committees. He was a former board member of both the Cyber Security Institute at Griffiss Institute and Sculpture Space. He has presented his scholarship, reviewed papers, and chaired sessions at the Academy of Management, the International Astronautical Congress, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Space Education & Strategic Applications Conference, the Creativity Conference, and the International Atlantic Economics Society among others. Dr. Edgell received his PhD in international multicultural management (magna cum laude) from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. He holds an MBA from Columbia University Business School in the City of New York and a five-year Bachelor of Architecture from Kent State University, College of Architecture and Environmental Design. Through Columbia's Chazen Institute of International Business, he studied at Erasmus University, Rotterdam School of Management in The Netherlands. He is a registered Architect and has studied at Harvard University, Graduate School of Design.

NPR Academic Minute Segments To listen, click on A SEGMENT TO GO TO NPR. ONCE THERE, scroll down and click on the audio bar play button “Creative Challenges and the University Reimagined” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 10/3/2022) “Listening to Outer Space” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 8/6/2021) “1962 and the First Commercial Space Firm” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 6/11/2021) “Humans and Outer Space” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 5/10/2021) “Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 9/7/2018) “Meaningful Transparency” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 8/8/2018) “Economic Vitality and the Arts” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 7/2/2018) “Visioneers and Venturers” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 6/6/2018) “Reimagining Entrepreneurship” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 5/9/2018) “Media and Governance” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 11/11/2016) “Innovation and Language” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 10/7/2016) Featured Academic Minute broadcast on National Public Radio’s Best of Our Knowledge (edition #1356, air date 09/15/2016) “Health & A.I.” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 9/2/2016) “Seeing 3D” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 8/2/2016) “Beneficial Innovation” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 1/12/2016) “Creativity and Community” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 6/26/2015) Featured Academic Minute broadcast on National Public Radio’s Best of Our Knowledge (edition #1281, air date 4/9/2015) “Architectural Technology Management” on National Public Radio’s Academic Minute (air date 3/13/2015)

“Das einzig Beständige ist die Veränderung.” - Heraklit von Ephesus, ca. 540 – 480 vC