New faculty: Lei Li

“The University of Kansas is one of the strongest academic institutions in the Midwest and in the upper tier of public universities in the U.S.,” said Lei Li, a new assistant professor at the School of Business for finance. 

Li previously taught calculus for a year at Brown University while he earned his Master of Science  in mathematics and master’s in economics. He also worked as a teaching assistant for several years at Boston College while pursuing his doctorate in finance. Li was eager to join the business school staff as a passionate finance scholar with deep curiosity about financial intermediation and financial intermediaries. 

“I’m looking forward to enjoying the gorgeous campus life here: the beautiful hilltop campus, classic stone buildings, and of course basketball games at the best arena in the country, Allen Fieldhouse,” Li said. 

This fall Li teaches Financial Markets (FIN 430) and Intermediaries and Analysis of Financial Intermediaries (FIN 710).

“I hope my classes are interesting and fun, and that students leave the classroom with a better understanding of the function and management of financial institutions and a new perspective on how to analyze what is happening in the financial markets,” Li said. 

Li is currently working on research projects studying financial institutions, financial crisis and risk management.

New faculty: Brad Goldie

Get lost in numbers with Brad Goldie, a new assistant professor in the finance area at the University of Kansas School of Business , from Pennsylvania State University.

“I embrace my true inner math nerd,” Goldie said, “but that’s why my wife says she married me.”

Goldie previously worked as a teaching assistant at Bringham Young University while working on his bachelor’s degree. He received his doctorate degree from Pennsylvania State University where he also taught classes.

When he did the math, Goldie knew KU was the best fit for him. 

“I really considered options at other universities, but the more I thought about my experiences visiting the various campuses, I realized the faculty here were people I wanted to work with,” Goldie said. 

He is currently working on a study for hedge fund investments in merger deals. He studies how the relationships between financial institutions affect their investment behavior. 

For his first semester as a professor, Goldie teaches Investments (FIN 410) to undergraduate students. 

What he’s most excited about as a Jayhawk: “Allen Fieldhouse. I’ve heard so much about the atmosphere that I want to see it for myself.”

New faculty: Noelle Nelson

Noelle Nelson, a new assistant professor from the University of Minnesota, joins the University of Kansas School of Business marketing area with warning: “I drink a lot of coffee … the school should probably stock up.”

Originally from Hot Springs, South Dakota, Nelson earned her bachelor’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Minnesota, where she also taught for four years.

Becoming a Jayhawk was an easy adjustment for Nelson because her hard work is respected.

“When I interviewed with KU, it was clear that, not only could I engage in the level of research I had hoped to achieve, but my teaching would also be valued,” Nelson said. 

This semester, Nelson teaches Consumer Behavior classes, both to undergraduate and MBA students.

Nelson is currently conducting research that primarily focuses on how working memory processes information that enters perception through various modalities. One project examined how music can affect how people perceive and remember ad claims. She has also conducted studies of negative emotion and its impact on consumer learning, and also how aging consumers react to negative life events.

What to expect to learn in her class: “The importance of understanding not only how consumers behave from a marketer’s perspective, but gaining insight into their own behavior. I hope that the students will become more informed people and consumers who make good decision regarding both life and products.”

What she’s most looking forward to at KU: “Experiencing the school spirit and the sense of unity KU has. Maybe, more importantly, figuring out what ‘Rock Chalk’ means.”

New faculty: Jessica Li

Jessica Li, a new assistant professor from Arizona State University, joins the school’s marketing area with enthusiasm.

“This is an exciting time for the KU marketing area, as it continues to expand and make a name for itself as a place of innovative and cutting edge research,” Li said.

Li is currently working on research that studies how social ecology affects consumer behavior, judgment and decision-making. Situations under investigation include how motivations, such as the desire to impress others, affect willingness to pay for different products.

Next semester Li will teach Integrated Marketing Communications.

One of the hopes Li has is that her students will learn the ability to think critically and to look at things from multiple perspectives.

“I like talking about ideas and my door is always open for anyone who wants to stop in and chat,” Li said.

Li received her undergraduate degree at Cornell University and her master's and doctorate degrees at Arizona State University.

Cornhusker by birth, Jayhawker by association

by Dan Dutcher

Prof. Tom Kubick

Growing up in Lincoln, Neb., home of the former Big 12 Cornhuskers, gives Tom Kubick an obvious interest in football. In fact, he has almost no idea what it’s like to be at a school with a basketball team of championship caliber.

Kubick, the new assistant professor of accounting and information systems, has a good feeling about the University of Kansas School of Business.

“My colleagues have been successful,” Kubick said. “The ability to work with people who are very good at what they do, both in the classroom and in research, is very important. It’s a very inspired academic environment.”

Kubick has a bachelor's degree in management, a master’s in professional accountancy and a doctorate in business with a concentration in accounting. He received all of these degrees from the University of Nebraska. Nearly all of his family attended the University of Nebraska which makes it a special place to him. 

So why did he choose to come to KU?

“KU has always been viewed, in my mind, as a great school,” Kubick said. “I feel very fortunate to be close to home in such a well respected academic environment. I’m excited to be here.”

Kubick teaches tax but has a professional background in financial planning. This led him to research the crossroads of the two areas. Most of his research is on tax avoidance, which he says is a new and very active area of research. Kubick has also added several professional certificates to his resume over the years. Although he’s not using them directly right now, he says that it does provide value to students interested in earning the same certificates.

In addition to teaching and research, Kubick is excited to learn about KU basketball.

“I’ve always enjoyed watching Kansas teams over the years,” Kubick said. “I’m looking forward to my first KU basketball game.”