Ran Barniv, accounting professor in the College of Business Administration, is July’s Scholar of the Month.

Barniv said he has been teaching and researching at Kent State for 23 years, and throughout this time has published many articles, 11 of which have appeared in the top 10 journals out of the 350 accounting journals overall.

Linda Zucca, accounting department chair, said she nominated Barniv because of his extensive research efforts.

“He is definitely a senior scholar. He enjoys doing research and is well published,” Zucca said.

Michael Bloom, associate vice president for Corporate Engagement and Commercialization, oversees the scholar of the month program and selection process.

“A scholar from different colleges is selected each month by their dean based on their significant research, scholarship and creative accomplishments,” Bloom said. “The primary benefit is recognition and prominent placement on the Kent State website of scholarly excellence. Considering the number of faculty members/researchers we have at Kent State, this recognition is rare and important to promote.”

His greatest accomplishment, Barniv said, is having two articles published in the top accounting journal, “The Accounting Review,” which has an annual rejection rate of 90 to 95 percent.

“These articles focused on the use of accounting information for regulation in the areas of capital markets, and the impact on investors to see how that information affects the forecast of a business,” Barniv said.

When Barniv is not researching, he said he primarily works with Ph.D. students.

“I enjoy teaching. The accounting students are very good. They are getting jobs right after college, so I am proud of that,” Barniv said.

Barniv’s impact on these graduate students is one of an “exacting” nature, Zucca said.

“He demands a great deal from the students and makes sure they work as hard as they are capable of doing, and in doing so, they learn a great deal from him,” Zucca said.

The span of Barniv’s influence on the accounting department, however, affects more than the students, Zucca said.

“He’s an amazing researcher, which attracts doctoral students and faculty,” Zucca said. “It definitely helps to increase our stature in the academic community.”

Being named scholar of the month means recognition of his hard work, Barniv said.

“It is nice to be recognized for the work that you do,” Barniv said. “But the real accomplishment is seeing your students succeed when they graduate.”

Contact Christina Bucciere at [email protected].