His research focuses on the group dynamics of workers in extreme contexts, i.e., those that are isolated, confined, and have the potential to cause severe physical or psychological harm to participants. In these settings, Derin studies the group dynamics of socialization, collective emotions, work meaningfulness, and sensemaking to answer the question, "what do people do individually and in small groups to flourish in extreme situations?"

To explore these topics, Kent has studied physicians responding to lethal viruses (the SARS-1 outbreak), crews aboard container ships, storm chasers hunting tornadoes, and securities traders restoring their workplaces after 9/11. Wherever possible, he has embedded as an ethnographer with people working in these environments to gain firsthand knowledge of their experiences.

Kent's research appears in peer-reviewed academic journals like Organization Studies, Journal of Business Venturing, and Academy of Management Annals, and has been presented at a variety of international conferences. In addition to research, he has experience teaching in undergraduate and MBA programs in North American and European universities.

Derin Kent earned his PhD in Management at Smith School of Business, Queen's University at Kingston, Canada. Besides scholarship, Derin enjoys marathon and trail running, sailing, and storm chasing.