News

Twenty-one Smith School professors were named among the top 2% most cited researchers globally, according to Elsevier’s 2025 study across 22 fields. Representing both current and emeritus faculty, their impactful research advances business knowledge and global academic excellence.

A recent FBI gambling probe with 30-plus arrests across 11 states spotlights NBA figures and alleged college basketball point-shaving. Professor Steve Heston’s 2010 study finds no evidence of widespread corruption, emphasizing that score anomalies arise naturally, not from betting manipulation.

The Smith School launched the Mortgage Natural Hazard Analyzer, a Tableau-based tool developed by Clifford Rossi and Master of Quantitative Finance students to assess U.S. homeowners’ mortgage risk from 18 climate-related hazards, providing policymakers, lenders, and insurers with interactive, data-driven insights to inform decisions nationwide.

Former Deputy Treasury Secretary and William E. Longbrake Professor of Finance Michael Faulkender joined Dean Prabhudev Konana for the first Dean’s Distinguished Speaker Series, discussing tariffs, fiscal policy, inflation, manufacturing, and the Federal Reserve, while urging students to engage in civil, independent dialogue.

The Robert H. Smith School of Business mourns Professor Joe Perfetti, a beloved lecturer of finance for 17 years. Celebrated for his teaching excellence, executive education, and entrepreneurial ventures, Perfetti profoundly impacted students, colleagues, and corporate leaders worldwide.

The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business is driving state policy and economic development through faculty-led, student-powered research partnerships with Maryland agencies, while providing experiential learning that equips students with analytical skills and real-world impact opportunities.

Graduate students at UMD’s Smith School, led by finance professor Liu Yang, analyzed Maryland’s earned wage access market and presented findings to lawmakers, influencing policy on financial regulations and highlighting the real-world impact of academic research and experiential learning.

Smith faculty are shaping policy, business and society through influential research and public service. From AI and insurance reform to pay equity and public pensions, they’re winning top awards and earning national recognition for impact and innovation across disciplines.

Lemma Senbet, Dean’s Chaired Professor of Finance at Smith, received the African Economic Research Consortium’s Distinguished Service Award for his longstanding contributions to economic research, policy, and capacity building across Africa. He was also recently appointed to the Bretton Woods Committee.

Smith School faculty and graduate students partnered with the Maryland Comptroller’s Office to analyze the economic impact of federal spending and employment, helping state leaders assess risks and build a more resilient future for Maryland’s economy.