Russell Jame: 2026-27 University Research Professor Q&A

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 23, 2026) — Russell Jame, Ph.D., the Ashland Oil Professor of Finance in the University of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business and Economics, has been honored as a 2026-27 University Research Professor.  

Jame studies how information shapes today’s financial markets. His research explores how investment insights are created, shared and used, from traditional Wall Street analysis to new, technology-driven sources. 

Jame’s research has been published in leading journals including the Journal of Finance, Review of Financial Studies and Journal of Financial Economics. His scholarly contributions have received numerous national and international awards, and his work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News and Harvard Business Review.  

Jame has served as director of graduate studies for finance and quantitative methods since 2018 and has contributed to more than a dozen doctoral committees, playing a central role in training the next generation of finance scholars.  

He spoke with UKNow about his latest honor as a University Research Professor in this Q&A. 

UKNow: What does it mean to you to be recognized as a University Research Professor?  

Jame: It’s an honor to be recognized as a University Research Professor, especially by my own institution. Research is inherently collaborative, so this recognition reflects the contributions of my co-authors and colleagues as much as my own work. 

What makes it particularly meaningful is being part of an environment at the University of Kentucky that values rigorous, high-quality research. I’ve been fortunate to work with great collaborators and Ph.D. students, and to be in a department that takes research seriously. 

This recognition reinforces my commitment to continuing that work; pushing on interesting questions, contributing to the academic literature and helping develop the next generation of researchers. 

UKNow: How will the professorships program advance your research? 

Jame: I’m very grateful for the support that comes with the professorship. It will support presenting work at conferences, where feedback from other researchers is often critical for improving and refining projects. The funding will also allow me to invest in new data sources, which are increasingly important for answering novel research questions in finance. 

More broadly, the flexibility of the support makes it possible to pursue new ideas more quickly and to bring projects to completion and submission more efficiently. I’m very appreciative of the university’s investment in research, and I expect it to have a meaningful impact on both the scope and quality of my work.   

UKNow: What inspired your focus on this area of research? 

Jame: I’ve long been interested in retail investors and behavioral finance. Specifically, how individuals process information and make financial decisions. Financial markets provide a natural setting to study these questions, as they reflect both rational forces and behavioral biases in real time. 

More recently, events like the rise of social media-driven investing and episodes such as the GameStop trading surge have further shaped my research agenda. These developments highlight how new information channels can influence investor behavior at scale. They also raise broader questions about how these dynamics affect not just prices, but also corporate decisions, such as investment and financing following periods of intense retail trading activity. These ideas have become a central focus of my recent work. 

UKNow: What continues to motivate your work? 

Jame: What continues to motivate my work is the challenge of the research process itself. I enjoy tackling difficult questions, thinking through problems and working toward solutions. I’m also motivated by the opportunity to contribute to ongoing academic and policy conversations and to deepen our understanding of how financial markets function, particularly as new technologies reshape the information environment. 

Working with co-authors and mentoring students is another important part of that process. Seeing ideas develop and improve over time is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job.   

UKNow: How does your research impact Kentucky? 

Jame: My research contributes to Kentucky in a few different ways. First, by producing research that is recognized in leading academic journals and broader media outlets, it enhances the visibility and reputation of the University of Kentucky as a center for high-quality research. Second, as director of graduate studies for the Ph.D. program in finance, my research activity plays an important role in mentoring and training doctoral students. Working closely with Ph.D. students on research projects helps prepare them to become successful researchers and educators, which extends the impact of our program well beyond the university. Finally, my work on investor behavior and financial decision-making has broader relevance for individuals and institutions, including those within the state. 

About the University Research Professors 
Each year, the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees approves a cohort of faculty as University Research Professors. The distinction recognizes excellence in work that addresses scientific, social, cultural and economic challenges in Kentucky and the world.  

College leadership developed criteria for excellence within their area of expertise and then nominated faculty who excelled at these criteria. Each University Research Professor receives a one-year award of $10,000.