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Devin Shanthikumar, an associate professor of accounting at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business, makes the complex simple for her students.

A strong researcher with publications in the highest quality scholarly journals, Shanthikumar encourages her students to think critically and engage in conceptual problem solving in interactive high-energy classes. She uses a very active discussion format and is constantly updating her teaching to incorporate the latest innovations – for example, by using the learning glass for recordings and developing materials to use online for case discussions.

“I strive to make my teaching student-oriented and high impact by constantly innovating and creating an open learning space,” Shanthikumar says. “I focus on the skills that have real-world application and will help students succeed in their careers: critical thinking, leading, and communicating.”

Shanthikumar also makes a point of providing individual mentoring for students across undergraduate, MBA and PhD programs who want it.

“Some students benefit immensely from that one-on-one guidance and coaching, and when they’re driven to seek it out, I want to be there to help guide them,” Shanthikumar says.

In her research, Shanthikumar uses novel techniques and unique datasets to address important, unanswered questions. Her research on individual investors stands out for its rarity in the field and its implications for improving the welfare of the average individual investor. Those studies are relevant to policymakers, companies that are communicating to investors and investment professionals.

Her papers are frequently cited by other researchers, and she has already earned more than 1,000 citations, according to Google Scholar.  Additionally, reporters have cited her research in mainstream publications from The Economist to Bloomberg.

Shanthikumar was an assistant professor at Harvard Business School before joining the Merage School in 2011. She earned her PhD in business administration from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, and her BS in electrical engineering and computer science from UC Berkeley.