Sam Adams
Sam Adams joined the Ph.D. program at the University of Tennessee in the fall of 2019. He received his BSBA in finance from the University of Arkansas and his MS in quantitative financial economics from Oklahoma State University. Sam worked as a fixed income analyst at Oaklawn Investments between his undergraduate and graduate degrees. His research interests include market microstructure and banking.
Learn more about our Ph.D. Program
The Haslam College of Business’ Ph.D. in Finance equips students to conduct original, cutting-edge research in financial markets and corporate finance. The full-time, four- to five-year program combines academic rigor and hands-on mentoring.
Ph.D. Program
Dipesh Bhattarai
Dipesh Bhattarai joined the UT Department of Finance Ph.D. program in August 2019. He received a Master's of Business Administration at Mississippi State University, where he worked as a graduate teaching assistant. Dipesh earned a Bachelor's of Business Administration with specialization in banking and finance from Pokhara University, Nepal. His research interest includes banking, international finance, and corporate finance.
Banks Osborn
Banks Osborne joined the Finance Ph.D. program at the University of Tennessee in August 2020. Prior to joining the department, he worked as a data science graduate research assistant and an instructor of statistics while earning his Master of Science in Mathematics at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). He also earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from UNCW. Outside of academia, he has worked as a statistical consultant. His research interests include asset pricing, market microstructure, and international finance.
Connor Kasten
Connor Kasten joined the University of Tennessee’s Department of Finance Ph.D. program in August 2018. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in both economics and finance from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA. Immediately prior to joining the doctoral program, he worked as a financial advisor and served clients by assisting them in retirement, education, estate, and insurance planning. His research interests include investments, financial intermediation, retirement and employee benefits, retail investors, and behavioral finance. His research has been accepted at the Eastern Finance Association (EFA) and Financial Management Association (FMA) conferences, and he received an EFA Distinguished Student Paper Award for his work on retirement provider relationships in the corporate loan market.
Read moreConnor Kasten
Connor Kasten joined the University of Tennessee’s Department of Finance Ph.D. program in August 2018. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in both economics and finance from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA. Immediately prior to joining the doctoral program, he worked as a financial advisor and served clients by assisting them in retirement, education, estate, and insurance planning. His research interests include investments, financial intermediation, retirement and employee benefits, retail investors, and behavioral finance. His research has been accepted at the Eastern Finance Association (EFA) and Financial Management Association (FMA) conferences, and he received an EFA Distinguished Student Paper Award for his work on retirement provider relationships in the corporate loan market.
Amanda Olsen
Amanda Olsen entered the doctoral program in the fall of 2017. She received her BS in mathematics from LaGrange College in LaGrange, GA in 2010 and her MS in finance from Kaplan University in 2013. Prior to joining the doctoral program, she worked for Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Total Systems (TSYS), an international credit card processing company. At TSYS, she had been promoted within the banking terms and conditions department and was responsible for the maintenance of credit card transactions in excess of $1 billion. Her research interests include banking, corporate finance, and corporate governance.
Read moreAmanda Olsen
Amanda Olsen entered the doctoral program in the fall of 2017. She received her BS in mathematics from LaGrange College in LaGrange, GA in 2010 and her MS in finance from Kaplan University in 2013. Prior to joining the doctoral program, she worked for Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Total Systems (TSYS), an international credit card processing company. At TSYS, she had been promoted within the banking terms and conditions department and was responsible for the maintenance of credit card transactions in excess of $1 billion. Her research interests include banking, corporate finance, and corporate governance.
Guanhuan (Jack) Wang
Jack Wang entered the finance doctoral program in the Fall of 2017. He received an undergraduate finance degree from Shaanxi Normal University in Xi’an, China. Guanhuan then continued his education at the Southern Methodist University. He earned the Master’s of Science in Finance while serving as a research assistant.
Miaoyin (Alexandra) Zhang
Alex Zhang joined the UT Department of Finance PhD program in August 2018. She received her BBM in international business from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, and her MS in finance from Johns Hopkins University, Washington D.C.