Haiwen (Helen) Zhang

Haiwen (Helen) Zhang is the Carl L. Nelson Professor of Accounting and Chair of the Accounting Department at the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota. She previously served as a faculty member at the Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University, and was a financial economist at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during 2015–2016.

• Education: PhD in Accounting from University of Minnesota (2007)

Her research focuses on accounting and security regulation, corporate risk management, accounting for financial institutions, and consumer lending. Recent work examines regulatory leniency, mortgage market discrimination, environmental disclosures, and systemic risks in mutual fund ownership. Publications appear in top-tier journals like The Accounting Review and Journal of Accounting and Economics.

Her scientific awards include the Carl L. Nelson Professor of Accounting designation. She teaches financial accounting and data analytics across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs. Notably, her SEC role involved participation in rule-making processes.