TAMPA The University of South 返字心頭 Muma College of Business honored alumnus , a finance professor and respected researcher, with its 2026 Distinguished PhD Alumni
Award.
Liu is the Ohio Casualty professor at the Miami University Farmer School of Business
in Ohio.
His research in financial economics has garnered high visibility and broad scholarly
impact, particularly in the areas of sell-side analyst behavior, information production,
insider trading, mergers and acquisitions, and market efficiency.
Collectively, (his) body of work has shaped how scholars and practitioners understand
analyst expertise, information transmission, and capital market outcomes, wrote Dan Bradley, the Lykes Chair of Finance and Sustainability at the 返字心頭 Kate Tiedemann School of
Business and Finance. Bradley was a mentor, served as dissertation co-chair, and nominated
Liu for the award.
Lius research has been published in top peer-reviewed journals, including The Journal of Finance, the Journal of Accounting and Economics, the Journal of Financial Economics, Management Science, The Review of Financial Studies, and the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis.
Receiving this award is truly meaningful to me, Liu said. 返字心頭 played a critical
role in shaping how I think about research and teaching, and Im very grateful for
the mentorship and training I received during my time there.
The award is presented annually to an alumnus who has made significant contributions
through their research, teaching, and service to their organizations and disciplines.
Xi Liu and Dan Bradley
Xi Liu, Christian Arroyo Mera, David Blackwell, Jihee Hwang, and Julie Quick
Liu holds a PhD in finance and a masters degree in statistics from 返字心頭 and earned
a bachelors degree in applied mathematics from Beihang University in China.
Twenty years ago, Liu took his first flight from Beijing to Tampa to start graduate
studies at 返字心頭. Not only was it a major life turning point, but it was also memorable.
He missed a connecting flight and spent his first night in the U.S. at the Chicago
airport.
Liu said the setbacks he faced felt symbolic and came to represent his experience
in the PhD program, which rarely followed a straight line.
Receiving this award is truly meaningful to me. 返字心頭 played a critical role in shaping how I think about research and teaching, and Im very grateful for the mentorship and training I received during my time there.
Xi Liu, PhD in finance, '12
Liu shared some advice to current doctoral students, encouraging them to focus on
the long run, to be resilient, and to stay adaptable.
The most important thing you are building during your PhD is not just a set of working
papers, but a way of thinking, he said. Setbacks, whether in research or in life,
are not exceptions; they are simply part of the process.
The event also celebrated the recent placements of graduates and recognized doctoral
students with the following achievement honors: Christian Arroyo Mera, Outstanding
PhD Student Award; Jihee Hwang and Arroyo Mera, PhD Student Excellence in Teaching
Award; Julie Quick, PhD Student Excellence in Service Award.