Yuchen Chen

Yuchen Chen is an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Gies College of Business, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). He holds a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Minnesota, an M.S. in Statistics, and a B.S. in Economics. His research focuses on macro finance, structural corporate finance, asset pricing, monetary policy, and labor finance.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Finance, University of Minnesota (2017–2023)
• M.S. in Statistics, University of Minnesota (2014–2016)
• B.S. in Economics, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (2010–2014)

Research Interests: Chen explores the intersections of monetary policy and financial markets, with emphasis on debt structure, credit reallocation, and labor market dynamics. His work bridges theoretical frameworks with empirical analysis, addressing questions such as how monetary policy impacts credit allocation and the role of financial intermediaries in economic activity.

Awards & Honors:

• CFRI Research Excellence Award (2022)
• Carlson School Dissertation Fellowship (2021–2022)
• Carlson School Ph.D. Excellence in Teaching Award (2020)

Grants: Recipient of a Gies College of Business Grant ($30,000, 2024–2027).

Professional Experience:

• Federal Reserve Bank of New York Ph.D. Dissertation Fellow (2022)
• Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Economic Analyst (2017)

Labs/Teams: Active in academic collaborations across institutions, including co-authorships with leading scholars in finance and economics.