Xiaochen Xie | Econometrics and Finance | Research Excellence Award

Dr. Xiaochen Xie | Econometrics and Finance | Research Excellence Award 

Renmin University | China

Dr. Xiaochen Xie is an Assistant Professor at the School of Finance, Renmin University of China, where he has served since August 2021. He concurrently holds research associate appointments at the China Financial Policy Research Center, the Institute of Public Finance and Taxation, and the Institute of Digital Economics and Taxation at Renmin University. Dr. Xie’s research integrates international trade, industrial organization, public economics, and urban economics, with a strong emphasis on firm dynamics, pricing behavior, trade policy, and market structure in global technology industries. His scholarship particularly addresses the complex interactions between trade liberalization, industrial development, and consumer welfare, often using structural and empirical approaches to uncover mechanisms shaping modern markets. Dr. Xie earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Pennsylvania State University in 2021, where his dissertation, Essays on Firm Entry and Pricing, was supervised by renowned economist Jonathan Eaton. He also holds an M.S. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance and Statistics from Peking University. His interdisciplinary training forms the foundation of his analytical approach to understanding global economic phenomena. His research has appeared in leading outlets, including the Journal of Economic Geography, and he maintains an active pipeline of working papers on export dynamics, optimal taxation, industrial policy, and global smartphone markets. Several of his papers are under review or revise-and-resubmit at prestigious journals such as the International Journal of Industrial Organization and the Journal of the European Economic Association. His work has received recognition, including the Outstanding Paper Award at the NCER-CCER Chinese Economy Conference in 2021. A frequent presenter at international conferences, Dr. Xie has delivered research at institutions such as Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, Zhejiang University, and at major meetings including the European Economic Association and EARIE conferences. He is also an active referee for top scholarly journals. At Renmin University, Dr. Xie teaches public finance, quantitative empirical economics, and structural methods, consistently earning exceptional teaching evaluations. He has secured multiple competitive grants, including NSFC and university-funded projects focused on tariffs, international tax policy, and fiscal capacity. Beyond academia, he previously worked in finance and investment analysis and has served as Vice President at Yuewei Capital. Born in Tianjin in 1992, Dr. Xie is fluent in Chinese and English and enjoys Xiangqi, soccer, and travel.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Chen, Y., Huang, T., & Xie, X. (2025). Place-based policies: First-mover advantage and persistence. Journal of Economic Geography, lbaf001.

Lu, W., & Xie, X. (2024). Trade, markups, and consumer welfare: Evidence from the global smartphone industry (SSRN Working Paper No. 4804811). SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4804811

Xie, X. (2021). Two essays on firm entry and pricing (Doctoral dissertation, The Pennsylvania State University).

Yurou Liu | Management and Accounting | Research Excellence Award

Assist Prof Dr. Yurou Liu | Management and Accounting | Research Excellence Award

southwest Jiaotong University | China

Dr. Yurou Liu is an emerging scholar and Assistant Professor at Southwest Jiaotong University, China, with a strong academic foundation supported by a Ph.D. from Renmin University of China and international experience as a visiting researcher at the National University of Singapore. Her research sits at the intersection of law and finance, earnings management, and tax avoidance, with a particular focus on how legal systems, regulatory frameworks, and governance arrangements influence corporate financial decision-making and strategic behavior. Dr. Liu has successfully led three funded research projects, including a prestigious National Natural Science Foundation Youth Project, as well as grants from the Ministry of Education and Renmin University, demonstrating her ability to secure competitive research funding and contribute to national academic priorities. Complementing her academic research portfolio, she has also engaged with industry through a consultancy research project commissioned by the Shanghai Municipal Audit Bureau, focusing on the development and international benchmarking of audit mechanisms in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, showcasing applied policy relevance and societal impact. Dr. Liu has published eight peer-reviewed journal articles in highly regarded and internationally indexed outlets, including the Journal of Corporate Finance, Journal of Business Ethics, British Accounting Review, and Accounting and Business Research, along with other respected journals in the field of accounting and finance. Her research has received growing scholarly recognition, accumulating more than 120 citations on Google Scholar, reflecting increasing influence and relevance within the academic community. Through her empirical work, Dr. Liu provides novel insights into how judicial efficiency affects corporate investment and financing behavior, how reforms and dispute resolution mechanisms influence financial misconduct, and how disclosure policies and governance systems shape innovation, transparency, and market response. Her findings contribute meaningful evidence supporting improved investor protection, enhanced regulatory enforcement, reduced financial risk, and greater accountability within corporate systems. With a research agenda aligned toward public governance, financial integrity, and evidence-based regulation, Dr. Liu contributes rigorously to both theoretical advancement and policy development. Her academic achievements, demonstrated leadership in funded research, and impactful publications underscore her growing standing as a promising young scholar in the global research community. Her commitment to research excellence, ethical scholarship, and continuous contribution to knowledge makes her a strong candidate for recognition under the Research Excellence Award.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Liu, Y. (2023). Judicial independence and crash risk: Evidence from a natural experiment in China. Journal of Corporate Finance, 83, Article 102490.

Liu, Y. (2022). Investor protection and audit fees: Evidence from the E-interaction platform in China. Accounting and Business Research, 52(7), 815–837.

Liu, Y., & Liu, J. (2024). Social integrity and stock price crash risk. Journal of Business Ethics, 190(3), 703–721.

Liu, J., Ye, K., & Liu, Y. (2023). Mandatory information disclosure and innovation: Evidence from the disclosure of operational information. China Journal of Accounting Research, 16(2), Article 100294.

Liu, Y. (2023). The high-speed railway opening and audit quality: Evidence from China. Economic and Political Studies, 11(4), 494–515.

Liu, Y., Ye, K., & Liu, J. (2023). Major asset restructuring performance commitments and classification shifting through non-recurring items. China Journal of Accounting Studies, 11(2), 270–299.

Liu, Y., & Chen, H. (n.d.). Does retail investor attention deter or promote earnings management? Evidence from interactive platforms. (Publication status unknown).

 

July Villalba | Management and Accounting | Industry Impact Award

Prof. July Villalba | Management and Accounting | Industry Impact Award

Politecnico Grancolombiano | Colombia

Dr. July Alexandra Villalba Rodríguez, Ph.D. in Complex Thought (Multiversidad Real Edgar Morin, 2024), Magister in Innovation Management (Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar, 2019), and Professional in International Business (Universidad Piloto de Colombia, 2014), has built a distinguished career as a program director, academic coordinator, and research-oriented educator. Her expertise bridges the domains of international business, innovation, and emerging technologies, fostering synergy between academia and industry. As a key academic partner in the Futurexpo Program, led by ProColombia, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, and the Politécnico Grancolombiano, Dr. Villalba has played a pivotal role in empowering Colombian entrepreneurs and business leaders to adopt digital innovation in their export strategies. Her national lectures on “The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Market Research” have reached over 3,200 participants, including entrepreneurs, students, and representatives from productive sectors across more than 33 municipalities in Colombia. This initiative aims to strengthen the export capabilities of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), democratizing access to cutting-edge technological tools. In conclusion, the Futurexpo initiative under Dr. Villalba’s academic leadership exemplifies research with measurable industrial, social, and economic impact. It not only enhances Colombia’s global competitiveness but also promotes the responsible and strategic use of artificial intelligence within local industries. This project stands as a testament to how innovation, education, and technology integration can collectively drive sustainable business growth and national progress.

Profiles: Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Villalba Rodríguez, J. A. (2021). Ciudades globales e innovación: Partiendo del concepto a la realidad actual empresarial de Colombia. En Análisis de la transformación digital (Cap. 6).

Villalba Rodríguez, J. A. (2021). Del método científico a la innovación empresarial: Una reflexión compleja desde la transdisciplinariedad. Mundo FESC, (21). ISSN 2216-0388.

Villalba Rodríguez, J. A. (2021). Innovación: De la teoría a la realidad empresarial de Colombia. En Análisis de la transformación digital (Cap. 8).

Villalba Rodríguez, J. A. (2020). La responsabilidad social empresarial frente a los beneficios tributarios y la imagen corporativa. Apuntes Contables, (27).