Yi Liu

When it comes to contributing to the canon of financial planning literature, Yi Liu is never at a loss for words. In fact, she’s a master of them: Since earning her Ph.D. in 2020, she’s published six papers in financial planning journals including the Financial Planning Review, Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Journal of Personal Finance, and Applied Economics Letters.

“I always had a passion for research in addition to teaching. I am a researcher at heart. I like to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical applications to solve problems,” Liu said.

She is dedicated to achieving her goal of becoming a successful financial planning educator. Case in point: She’s establishing a registered CFP program at her university.

“I like to bring real-life financial scenarios to my students, and I think they appreciate that. They like to be challenged with ideas they can use,” Liu said. “I think that connecting students with financial advisors in the community is very important. It helps my students gain real-world insights and it also helps me improve my teaching.”

—Gregg Greenberg