Hui Zhu – Financial Management – Best Researcher Award

Prof Dr. Hui Zhu  distinguished academic and researcher in the field Financial Management. She has extensive academic experience in the field of finance. She currently serves as an Associate Professor of Finance at the Faculty of Business and IT at Ontario Tech University in Canada, a position she has held since 2018, where she also attained tenure. Prior to this role, she served as an Assistant Professor of Finance on a tenure-track basis from 2014 to 2018 at the same institution. Additionally, she has contributed to the academic community as an Adjunct Professor at the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa from 2018 to 2021 and as an Assistant Professor of Finance on a tenure-track basis at the Shannon School of Business at Cape Breton University from 2012 to 2014. Her dedication to teaching and research underscores her commitment to the field of finance.

🌐 Professional Profiles

Educations📚📚📚

She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Queen’s University in Kingston, ON, Canada, which she completed in 2010. Prior to this, she earned an M.A. in Economics from the University of Victoria in Victoria, BC, Canada, in 2005. Her academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from North China Electric Power University in China, which she completed in 1991. Through her diverse educational background, she has equipped herself with a strong foundation in economics and computer science, contributing to her interdisciplinary approach to research and teaching.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Fixed Income Securities, Initial Public Offerings, Corporate Innovation, Corporate Social Responsibility,
International Finance

CREDENTIALS

She has acquired several credentials and certifications to enhance her teaching and professional skills. These include completing the Online Income Tax Planning Refresher for Corporate Tax course offered by Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA Ontario) in Canada in 2017. Furthermore, she earned The Certificate in University Teaching from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Ontario, Canada, also in 2017. Her commitment to teaching excellence is further demonstrated through her participation in programs such as the Teaching Squares Program at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in 2016, and her receipt of a Faculty Teaching Certificate from the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, in 2010. Prior to this, she completed the Instructional Skills Workshop at the University of Calgary in 2009 and the Course Design and Teaching Workshop at Queen’s University in Kingston, ON, Canada, also in 2009. These credentials underscore her dedication to pedagogical development and excellence in teaching practices.

🔍RESEARCH EXPERIENCE🔍

She has secured various research funding grants to support her academic endeavors and scholarly pursuits. Notably, she served as the Principal Investigator for the Building EDI Knowledge in Research grant at Ontario Tech University, receiving $4,500 to conduct research on EDI conference in Labour and Gender Economics in 2023-2024. Additionally, she was awarded a Visiting Scholar Grant from Johannes Kepler University Linz in Austria, amounting to Euro 2646.96, to investigate Board Characteristics, CSR Controversies, and Firm Value during the same period.

Furthermore, she has been the recipient of grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), including an Insight Development Grant totaling $54,182 for the project titled “Pension Deficits and Financial Distress in an Innovative Environment” from 2018 to 2023. Other SSHRC grants she has obtained include the SSHRC Small Grants Program 2023 – Explore Stream at Ontario Tech University ($7,000) and SSHRC Small Partnership Grant ($13,912) in June 2017-March 2018.

She has also received research funding from various institutions to support her work, including the FBIT Summer Research Support ($1,000) at Ontario Tech University in May 2016 – August 2016, and Research Policy Grant at Cape Breton University ($16,000) from 2012 to 2014, among others. These grants reflect her success in securing financial support for her research endeavors, highlighting her contributions to the academic community.

CONFERENCES🎓🌐

She has presented her research findings at numerous prestigious conferences worldwide, showcasing her expertise and contributions to the field of finance. Noteworthy presentations include her investigation into the influence of firms’ purchase obligations on their choice of debt structure at the Southwestern Finance Association annual conference (SWFA) in 2024, and her exploration of the impact of firm life cycle on bond ratings and yields at the European Financial Management Association annual conference (EFMA) in 2023.

Additionally, she has presented research on various topics such as the implications of social trust on corporate social responsibility, the effect of going public in the U.S. market on corporate innovative activities, and the relationship between cost of debt and customer concentration risk at conferences including the 3rd Canadian Sustainable Finance Network Annual Conference (CSFN), the Multinational Finance Society Annual Conference (MFS), and the Midwest Finance Association Annual Conference (MFA).

Her extensive conference presentations demonstrate her commitment to disseminating research findings and engaging with the academic community on topics spanning corporate finance, innovation, and economic freedom. Through these presentations, she has contributed valuable insights to scholarly discourse and advanced understanding in her field.

📚BOOK CHAPTERS📚

John, K., S. Saadi, and H. Zhu. 2014. Liquidity Risk, in H. Kent Baker and Greg Filbeck, eds.,
Investment Risk Management (pp. 141-154), Oxford University Press.

She has received numerous honors and awards in recognition of her contributions to academia and research. At Ontario Tech University, she was honored with the FBIT Research Excellent Award in both the Senior Researcher Category for 2022-2023 and the Early Stage Researcher Category for 2019-2020. Additionally, she was nominated by students for the Student Choice Award at the Teaching and Learning Center in 2019, reflecting her effectiveness and impact as an educator.

Her scholarly achievements extend beyond her university affiliations. She was recognized as a scholarship recipient for the 2022-2023 Faculty Mobility for Partnership Building Program at the University of the West Indies in Barbados and as a scholarship recipient for the Canada-China Scholars Exchange Program at Fudan University in 2019. Moreover, she received prestigious awards during her academic pursuits, such as the Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Calgary from 2009 to 2012 and the Ph.D. Graduate Scholarship at Queen’s University from 2005 to 2009.

Furthermore, her research has garnered acclaim, including being listed in the Top Ten Download List for Social Science Research Network (SSRN) Financial Economics Network for her work on institutional barriers to cross-border LBOs. She has also received Best Paper Awards at conferences such as the Rome 2016 Conference on “Corporate Innovation and Cost of Capital” and has been nominated by students as one of the most outstanding professors in the Faculty of Business and IT at Ontario Tech University.

These honors and awards underscore her excellence in both research and teaching, highlighting her significant contributions to her field and her impact on students and colleagues alike.

INVITED SEMINARS🎓

Hui Zhu has been invited to present her research findings and expertise at various seminars, webinars, and conferences around the world. Notable presentations include seminars on topics such as “Do Firms’ Purchase Obligations Influence Their Choice of Debt Structure?” at Johannes Kepler University Linz in Austria, “Investment Essentials” at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus in Barbados, and “The Implications of Social Trust on Corporate Social Responsibility: International Evidence” at the Institute for Sustainable Finance (IFS) webinar hosted by Queen’s University.

She has also delivered seminars on “Pension Deficits and Financial Distress in an Innovative Environment” at various universities in China, including Hunan Agricultural University, Jiangsu University, East China University of Political Science and Law, and East China Normal University.

Furthermore, she has presented her research at seminars and conferences in Canada and other countries, covering topics such as crash risk, investor horizon, institutional investors, and forecast modeling.

These invitations highlight her expertise and reputation in the field of finance, as well as the international recognition of her research contributions.

📝🔬Publications📝🔬

 

 

Grazia Onorato- Systematic risk in financial Market- Women Researcher Award

Grazia Onorato- Systematic risk in financial Market

Dr.  Grazia Onorato distinguished academic and researcher in the field Systematic risk in financial Market.  She possesses proficiency in Italian as her native language and holds a B2 level in English, as per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Her computer skills include ECDL certification and proficiency in MS Office 2013 (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint), as well as Internet browsers like Explorer and Google Chrome. In terms of additional qualifications, she has conducted seminars on various topics related to climate risk management and European regulations at the Department of Economics of the University of Foggia. She has also participated in doctoral courses and webinars organized by prestigious institutions such as the Banca d’Italia and the Value Reporting Foundation, covering subjects ranging from mathematical finance to sustainability reporting. Through these activities, she has demonstrated a commitment to continuous learning and professional development in her field.

🌐 Professional Profiles

Educations: 📚🎓

She is a Research Fellow at the University of Foggia’s Department of Economics (SSD SECS-P/11) since June 22, 2022, working on the project titled “Fintech and the Innovation Process in Financial Intermediation.” Prior to this, she completed her Ph.D. in Economics and Management with a focus on Management and Technology at the University of Bari Aldo Moro, defending her thesis entitled “Climate Risk in the Financial System: Impacts and Implementation for Banks and Insurances” in May 2023. She also participated in the ADEIMF 2022 Summer School on “Methods and Techniques of Research in Banking and Finance” at the University Parthenope in September 2022, and she attended a course on Econometric Analysis at the University of Calabria’s Summer School in July 2021. She achieved her Master’s degree in Economics and Finance with the highest honors (110/110 cum laude) from the University of Foggia in October 2019. Additionally, she completed a 24 CFU educational path in anthropo-psychopedagogical disciplines and teaching methodologies in January 2018.

“Global Summit of Integrated Reporting Communities“, organizzato dalla Value
Reporting Foundation (VRF) il 13 ottobre 2021.
– Webinar “The evolution of sustainability reporting” organizzato da Meditari
Accountancy Research il 22 ottobre 2021.
– Webinar organizzato dalla Fondazione O.I.B.R. in collaborazione con AIFIRM dal titolo
“La complessità informativa della sostenibilità: dalla disclosure ai rating ESG e creditizi”,
martedĂŹ 14 dicembre 2021.
– Seminario tenuto dal prof. Francesco Campobasso, in modalitĂ  telematica, dal titolo
“Corporate financial distress and bankruptcy”, organizzato dal Dipartimento di
Economia, Management e Diritto dell’Impresa dell’Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo
Moro, il giorno 16 dicembre 2021.
– Convegno ABI dal titolo “L’integrazione dei fattori di rischio climatici e ambientali”,
30-31 marzo e 1° aprile 2021.
– Convegno ABI dal titolo “L’integrazione dei Fattori di Rischio Climatici e Ambientali
nelle banche LSI: i passaggi necessari, gli impatti e le prospettive”, il 10 e 11
maggio 2022.
– Scuola Estiva di Economia e Diritto in “Rischi, regolamentazione e stabilitĂ  finanziaria.
CriticitĂ  e prospettive” – Operatori ed accademia a confronto. Cagliari, 26-30 giugno
2023, FacoltĂ  di Scienze Economiche, Politiche e Giuridiche.
– Corso ABI dal titolo “Audit ESG: il ruolo della funzione audit e le principali attività” – 3
e 4 ottobre 2023.
– Seminario annuale ABI dal titolo “Funzioni aziendali di controllo. La sfida del Risk
(Re)mapping”- 15 e 16 novembre 2023.

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