معرفی
Laura T. Starks is a Professor of Finance holding the George Kozmetsky Centennial University Distinguished Chair at the McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin. She has served the school in various leadership roles including interim dean, associate dean for research, chair of the Department of Finance, and graduate adviser. Starks is also a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, a Senior Fellow of the Asian Bureau of Finance and Economic Research, and a Fellow of several prestigious organizations including the American Finance Association, the Financial Management Association, the European Corporate Governance Institute, and the Centre for Economic Policy Research.
Her research expertise spans multiple areas in finance:
- Asset Pricing
- Corporate Finance
- Corporate Governance
- Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Issues
- Corporate Sustainability
- Institutional Investment Management
- Climate Finance
Starks' recent research demonstrates a strong trend toward ESG and sustainable finance, particularly in the last 5-7 years, with numerous publications examining climate risk disclosure, ESG engagement, corporate ESG profiles, and the relationship between sustainability factors and financial performance. Her work bridges traditional finance with emerging sustainable investment practices, making significant contributions to understanding how environmental and social factors impact institutional investment decisions and corporate behavior.
Her significant awards and honors include:
- 2024 Texas Exes Distinguished Alumnus Award
- 2022 Swedish Skandia Research Award on Long-Term Savings
- 2021 Moskowitz Prize for Outstanding Research in Sustainable Finance
- Fellow of the European Corporate Governance Institute (2024)
- Fellow of the American Finance Association (2023)
- Editor's Choice for publication 'Climate Risk Disclosure and Institutional Investors' (July 2023)
Starks has served as president of four major academic finance associations: the American Finance Association, the Society for Financial Studies, the Western Finance Association, and the Financial Management Association. She has also been editor of The Review of Financial Studies and associate editor of numerous academic journals. Currently, she serves on advisory committees for AIF Global, FTSE Russell, the Investment Company Institute, Kroner Center for Financial Research, Netspar, Principles for Responsible Investing, and Texas Wall Street Women, demonstrating her influence across both academic and industry spheres of finance.
