Ximena Garcia-Rada Wins 2026 Early Career Award

San Diego, CA – The Society for Consumer Psychology (SCP) is proud to announce that Dr. Ximena Garcia-Rada, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Mays Business School, Texas A&M University, has been awarded the Early Career Award at the 2026 SCP Annual Conference. This award recognizes emerging scholars within eight years of receiving their Ph.D. whose research shows strong promise in shaping the future of consumer psychology.

The Early Career Award honors researchers whose contributions demonstrate meaningful scholarly impact rather than sheer productivity. Dr. Garcia-Rada’s work exemplifies this standard through her research on consumer behavior, with a particular focus on close relationships, caregiving, shared consumption, and well-being. Her research explores how consumers make decisions in relational contexts, including how individuals balance personal preferences with the needs of others, how shared experiences shape meaning, and how caregiving responsibilities influence consumption choices.

Dr. Garcia-Rada’s scholarly impact is reflected in a strong and growing publication record in leading journals across marketing and psychology. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Psychology, and Psychological Science, among others. Her research includes influential contributions on topics such as consumers’ preference for effort when caring for close others, the role of shared time scarcity in shaping experiential choices, and the ways consumers sacrifice quality to create shared memories. Her work has received significant recognition, including the AMA-EBSCO-RRBM Award for Responsible Research in Marketing and the Journal of Consumer Psychology Best Paper by an Early Career Contributor Award.

In addition to her research, Dr. Garcia-Rada contributes actively to the field through reviewing and service roles across leading journals and conferences. Her work has also reached broad audiences through practitioner and media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Forbes, highlighting the real-world relevance of her research on relationships and consumer well-being.

Dr. Garcia-Rada earned her Doctorate in Business Administration (Marketing) from Harvard Business School, an MBA with High Honors from INCAE Business School, and a Bachelor of Business Administration with High Honors from Universidad de Lima. At Texas A&M University, she teaches consumer behavior and mentors doctoral students, contributing to the development of the next generation of scholars.

The award was presented during the 2026 SCP Annual Conference, held at the Westin San Diego Gaslamp District and chaired by Tracy Rank-Christman (University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee), Sonja Prokopec (ESSEC Business School, Singapore), and Anthony Salerno (Vanderbilt University). The conference brought together 569 attendees and centered on the theme “Cultivating Connections,” emphasizing the importance of relationships, collaboration, and community in advancing the field of consumer psychology.

About SCP:
The Society for Consumer Psychology (SCP) is the premier organization dedicated to the advancement of consumer psychology as a scientific discipline. Through its vibrant community of scholars and practitioners, SCP fosters research, professional development, and mentorship within the field. With a global focus, SCP strives to promote diversity, ethical standards, and the application of consumer psychological research to enhance consumer welfare.

For more information about SCP and individual awards, please visit www.myscp.org

Contact:
SCP Staff
Email: scp@myscp.org