Honoring University Research Professor Kristine Hankins

Kristine Hankins, Ph.D., the William E. Seale Professor of Finance in the Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky, has been named one of 14 University Research Professors. 

The 2022-2023 University Research Professorship Awards honor faculty members who have demonstrated excellence that addresses scientific, social, cultural and economic challenges in the Commonwealth, across the region and around the world. 

Individuals who displayed merit in research and scholarly activity within their area of expertise were nominated based on criteria developed by college leadership. Each University Research Professor receives a one-year award of $10,000. 

“While it is a tremendous privilege to be recognized as a University Research Professor, it is especially meaningful to reach this milestone having started my career here,” Hankins said. “Ever since my first year as an assistant professor, the University of Kentucky has supported my growth as a researcher and a teacher.”

Hankins brings a wealth of knowledge to the classroom with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago, a master’s degree in statistics from Rutgers University and a doctoral degree in finance from the University of Florida. 

In 2018, she was a visiting scholar at the Stockholm School of Economics.

Hankins' research focuses on corporate finance and risk management and has been published in the Journal of Financial Economics, Review of Financial Studies, Management Science, Journal of Corporate Finance and Harvard Business Review. 

Her work has also been recognized with the Jensen Prize, the Emerald Citation for Excellence and the GARP Risk Management Award.

Hankins is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Corporate Finance. She also serves regularly as a featured speaker at national and international conferences and will give this year’s keynote at the California Corporate Finance Conference. 

In 2016, Hankins co-founded the UK Finance Conference to bring world-class finance academics together and showcase Lexington. The annual event receives hundreds of submissions and prior attendees have included faculty from Chicago, Harvard, Yale, Cal Tech, London School of Economics and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. 

Hankins is also an advocate for women in finance. She has mentored female faculty at national conference events and will organize this year’s Financial Management Association Women’s Breakfast At UK. She also leads the new Gatton Women in Finance Summit initiative.

“Finance offers a powerful set of tools in most any career — whether it's an investment bank or a nonprofit,” Hankins said. “Our new Gatton Women in Finance Summit hopes to both communicate this to potential majors, as well as provide enhanced career and networking opportunities for current students and alumni.”

You can learn more about Gatton College here.