Feng Gao, Robert J. Boutillier Endowed Faculty Scholar in Accounting

Chair holder’s research focuses on federal regulations and corporate social responsibility.

Feng Gao is an assistant professor in the Department of Accounting and Information Systems at Rutgers Business School–Newark and New Brunswick. Her research interests include corporate governance, securities regulations, insider trading, and corporate social responsibility. Before her professorship at Rutgers, she taught at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Gao holds a doctorate in accounting from the University of Rochester and a doctorate in economics from the University of Iowa.

The Robert J. Boutillier Endowed Faculty Scholar in Accounting was established by gifts from friends and family of Robert and Marie Boutillier. It is awarded to a junior faculty member who demonstrates exceptional promise in the study of accounting. Boutillier, a 1948 graduate of the then-Rutgers School of Business Administration, spent his career at the accounting firm Peat Marwick. He rose to head the firm’s Newark office in the 1960s and its U.S. operations in the early 1970s. He ultimately became Peat Marwick’s vice chairman for the Northeast Region, a position he held until he retired in 1982. He remained involved at Rutgers throughout his life, serving as a university trustee and an overseer of Rutgers University Foundation.

In the Professor’s Own Words

What drew you to accounting?

I am interested in doing research that has impact and accounting research fits this criterion. That is why I am interested in topics on the consequences of Securities and Exchange Commission regulations and corporate social responsibility.

How would you characterize your students?

My students are mostly accounting students and a few major in finance. I am often impressed with their dedication to learning new subjects and their willingness to work hard.

What advice do you give them as they are considering a career path?

I would like them to be brave while embracing new challenges, persistent while pursuing their dreams, and relaxed while enjoying the process.

What is the most important thing you hope they take away from working with you?

Be kind and be realistic but reasonably optimistic.

This story is part of Rutgers University Foundation’s Endowed Chairs Impact series. Supporting professorships and research helps spark innovation and creativity here in New Jersey and beyond.