Chair: Dr. Sushma Shukla, Piedmont Virginia Community College

Dr. Sushma Shukla is a distinguished economist with over 25 years of experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership. She is a Professor of Economics at Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville, Virginia, and also serves as a visiting faculty member at the University of Virginia, where she contributes to teaching and academic engagement. In addition, Dr. Shukla is the Chair of the East College Social Science Association, a role through which she promotes interdisciplinary dialogue, research collaboration, and scholarly excellence across institutions.

Dr. Shukla earned her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Economics from Ravishankar University in Raipur, India, and completed her M.Phil. in Economics at Devi Ahilya University, Indore, where she earned first rank. Her academic achievements include receiving gold medals for excellence in her M.A. program, reflecting her strong scholarly foundation and commitment to academic rigor. She was recognized for her contributions to higher education when she received the Best Faculty Award from the School of Business at Virginia International University in 2017.

Her research interests span economic growth, innovation, economic development, and emerging economies. Dr. Shukla has presented her work at numerous national and international conferences and has published in a range of peer-reviewed journals. Her recent research and publications are accessible through her ResearchGate profile. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sushma-Shukla Beyond her professional life, Dr. Shukla resides in Virginia with her husband, two daughters, and her dog, Thor. She enjoys gardening, cooking, hiking, oil painting, and spending quality time with family and friends, which she believes are essential to maintaining balance, creativity, and well-being.