About the Event
The annual UIC Finance Conference brings together prominent academics and industry representatives in the field of finance to discuss recent research and emerging trends at the UIC campus in Chicago.
Each year in May, the conference hosts 12 presentations of research papers by faculty and PhD students from universities worldwide, selected from a competitive pool of approximately 250 submissions. Previous iterations of the conference have brought together more than 60 finance scholars to discuss research at the UIC campus and enjoy dinner and drinks at the Willis (Sears) Tower.
Third Annual UIC Finance Conference
The Third Annual UIC Finance Conference took place on May 15-16, 2026 on the UIC campus. The keynote speaker was Lauren Cohen from Harvard University.
The co-chairs for the 2026 conference were Dermot Murphy and Dominique Badoer.
Current and Previous Conference Programs
Previous Keynote Speakers
| Speaker | Conference | University |
|---|---|---|
Lauren Cohen | Third Annual UIC Finance Conference | Harvard University |
 Itay Goldstein | Second Annual UIC Finance Conference | University of Pennsylvania |
 Stefan Nagel | First Annual UIC Finance Conference | University of Chicago |
Best Discussant Award Winners
Each year, attendees vote on the “Best Discussant Award” at the end of the conference. Past award winners include:
Best Discussant Award Winners
| Speaker | Conference | University |
|---|---|---|
 Isaac Hacamo | Third Annual UIC Finance Conference | Indiana University |
 Kristoph Kleiner | Second Annual UIC Finance Conference | Indiana University |
Huseyin Gulen | First Annual UIC Finance Conference | Purdue University |