FASB Announces Winner of 2021 Emerging Scholar Award

Norwalk, CT, December 14, 2021—The FASB is pleased to announce the selection of Derek M. Christensen, a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin—Madison, as the recipient of its Emerging Scholar Award.

The FASB Emerging Scholar Award program was established in 2021 to garner additional interest among emerging scholars in research relevant to accounting standard setting. From the submissions received, the award recognizes the proposed doctoral thesis topic judged to be of the highest quality in terms of potential for a rigorous contribution to an issue of interest to accounting standard setting.

Mr. Christensen was admitted into candidacy for a PhD degree in accounting in the summer of 2021. His dissertation will be comprised of three papers that directly address important issues related to lease accounting standards.

FASB Chair Richard R. Jones said, “Congratulations, Derek, on being selected as the first winner of the FASB Emerging Scholar Award. Insights provided through high-quality academic research like yours are a critical input to the standard-setting process. On behalf of all the members of our Board, I’d also like to commend each of the 2021 nominees. Your work is of great importance to our process and we wish you much continued success,” he added.

FASB Member Christine A. Botosan, who initiated the program earlier this year, said, “Derek’s work on and passion for lease accounting exemplifies the kind of high-quality accounting research that this award program was established to promote. Research ideas of this caliber promise to help the FASB to make even better standard-setting decisions going forward,” she added.

The proposed doctoral thesis topic submissions from nominated candidates were reviewed by the selection committee. The committee consist of five members, including three current and former FASB post-doctorate fellows and two members of the FASB staff. Submissions were judged based on their potential for rigorous contribution to issues of interest to accounting standard setting.

For more information on the Emerging Scholar Award, visit www.FASB.org/academics.