Professional Background

Professor Spilker's research explores the social networks of institutional investors on portfolio choice, machine learning methods for alternative investment portfolios, and the dynamics of passive investments in active mutual fund families. His research has been published in leading academic journals like the Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, and the Journal of Banking and Finance, and covered in media outlets such as Bloomberg and Institutional Investor Magazine. Professor Spilker teaches in the masters and undergraduate programs covering the areas of investments, portfolio management and optimization, and financial derivatives and risk management, and has received several teaching awards. Prior to joining academia, he constructed portfolios of hedge fund managers for clients at Cambridge Associates (an investment consulting firm) and K2 Advisors (a hedge fund of funds), conducted sell-side equity research at UBS, and served as portfolio manager for Terrapin Creek Capital (a family office). Prior to his capital markets career, Professor Spilker served as a financial administration officer at Harvard University and a financial analyst at General Electric. Professor Spilker holds a PhD from Boston College, an MBA from the University of Maryland, College Park, a graduate diploma in management from Harvard University, a bachelors in finance from Virginia Tech, and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.