News Archive

Student Spotlight: Jan Hanousek – Following in his dad’s footsteps

By Jamie Boyle

ST. PETERSBURG (April 8, 2021) -- Jan Hanousek is a second year PhD student with a concentration in finance. He moved to Florida from the Czech Republic to attend USF. His interest in finance runs in the family, as Hanousek’s father is a professor of finance as well. In fact, Hanousek first became aware of USF when a colleague of his father gave him a USF T-shirt when he was younger.

Not only is Hanousek following his father’s example, but he also conducts research alongside him. They are currently working on a number of papers together regarding ownership structures, private and public firms.

“I have a really good relationship with my father, we are best friends,” Hanousek said. “I have someone I can discuss basically anything with.”

Hanousek’s research covers a lot, but he has a particular interest in political corruption and senator insider trading. His studies have found that there is information symmetry around the times senators trade and their investments performing extremely well. Other current topics Hanousek has looked at recently revolve around GameStop and Reddit.

“It’s too exciting to stay away from it,” he said.

Hanousek presented his first-year paper on senator trading in the Czech Republic and placed second for  the Young Economist of the Year Award by the Czech Economic Society.