91ÊÓƵ

Faculty Spotlight: Aron Gottesman

Finance and Economics Department

We sat down for a Q&A with Aron Gottesman, PhD, Professor and Chairperson of the Finance and Economics Department, who joined 91ÊÓƵ 20 years ago. We learned about his research interests, teaching methodology, and the "language and culture of finance."

Why finance?

Finance is a sophisticated area of investigation that involves the language and culture of finance, the ability to think abstractly and comprehend challenging concepts, and the application of quantitative analytics.

Why Lubin/91ÊÓƵ?

Geography: If you can make it here (New York), you can make it anywhere! Also, proximity to the most important financial institutions provides tremendous opportunities to learn and teach the application of theory to practice.

Finance is a sophisticated area of investigation that involves the language and culture of finance, the ability to think abstractly and comprehend challenging concepts, and the application of quantitative analytics.

What are your research interests/areas?

Performance measurement; the role of personality in decision making; investment products and investing strategies; and financial institutions.

Why is it important to advance research in these areas?

Research can provide important insights that help direct better decision making. For example, my coauthor and colleague Matt Morey and I recently published a paper showing that certain performance measures, known as capture ratios, are not particularly informative or useful.

What do students learn in your classroom?

They learn the language and culture of finance and learn that they can obtain knowledge of the topics we learn with total comprehension.

Tell us about your professional path and its impact on how you teach and what you teach.

My academic education including both finance and psychology. This exposure to multiple disciplines allows me to understand the mindset of students from a variety of backgrounds and helps me make sure their learning experience is meaningful.

Of which triumph are you most proud?

I'm happily married with a wonderful family!

What is the single most important lesson you'd like to impart to your students?

Don't be afraid to ask questions and take risks!

What does #LubinLife mean to you?

Lubin is a school that equally weighs teaching and research and the application of each to the other. As a business school located in such an important location (the heart of the Financial District), the excitement of the city inspires us every day.

Courses Dr. Gottesman teaches:

Undergraduate:

• Options, Futures, and Swaps
• Principles of Fixed Instruments and Markets

Graduate:

• Fixed Income Markets and Analytics
• Strategies in Investments, Options, and Futures