Will Cong

Will Cong is the Rudd Family Professor of Management and Professor of Finance at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Economics. His research bridges financial economics, blockchain technology, and FinTech innovation.

• PhD in Economics, Stanford University (2014)
• MS in Economics, Stanford University (2013)
• MA in Economics, Harvard University (2009)
• BA in Economics, Harvard University (2009)

His research interests include:

• Blockchain applications in finance and environmental monitoring
• Decentralized mining economics
• Textual analysis in financial markets
• Automation-driven innovation dynamics
• FinTech infrastructure development
• Macroeconomic implications of AI

Recent publications focus on blockchain mechanisms and automation-induced innovation, with work appearing in top journals like Review of Finance and forthcoming in Management Science. Key contributions include "Textual Factors" (2018) and "Decentralized Mining in Centralized Pools" (2021).

Scientific recognitions include:

• 2025 Exponential Science Pioneers Award (Business Management & Financial Economics)
• 2024 China International Conference of Finance (CICF) Best Paper Prize
• 2024 Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARE) Research Excellence Award
• FinTech@Cornell Research Fellow

At Cornell, he contributes to the Economics major/minor programs and collaborates with research centers like the S.C. Tsiang Macroeconomics Workshop.