Zhaowei Zhang joined the PhD program in finance in 2020. Zhaowei graduated from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BS in physics in 2015 with Dean’s Honors. Prior to joining the Fox School of Business, he was a PhD candidate in astronomy & astrophysics at The Pennsylvania State University, where he also received his MS. Zhaowei has first-author publications in top astrophysical journals such as The Astrophysical Journal and Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. He also has experience giving professional presentations in top astrophysical conferences, such as the American Physical Society meeting. 

As a student with a background in physics, Zhaowei is open and willing to work on different finance research areas. His current areas of interest include empirical and theoretical asset pricing.