Our Mission
The Academic FinTech Project (AFTP) specializes in collecting comprehensive public and private data on FinTech companies. Our goal is to produce high-quality research papers for publication in leading finance journals. We collaborate closely with venture capitalists and FinTech founders in the New York area, providing valuable data services and supporting research initiatives that drive innovation and success in the FinTech industry.
Opportunities to Collaborate
Join the Team: If you are interested in collaborating with us, please email panja@tcnj.edu with your CV.
Business Consulting: If you would like us to consult with your business, please also reach out via email.
Corporate Training & Short Courses: We offer in-person consultations, executive training, and customized short courses on Finance, FinTech, and Data Analytics.
For Inquiries:
đź“§ panja@tcnj.eduÂ
I am a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Finance at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). I hold a PhD in Finance from Rutgers University, an MA in Economics from Vanderbilt University, and dual bachelor’s degrees in Applied Mathematics and Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).Â
My research focuses on banking, financial regulation, and FinTech. In addition to my research, I have taught courses in Finance, Business, and Economics at Columbia University, Foundations of FinTech at Sacred Heart University, Investments at TCNJ, and Financial Management at Rutgers University.Â
Leveraging my expertise, I lead teams in collecting and analyzing large-scale data on FinTech companies and collaborate closely with venture capitalists and FinTech founders in the New York area to develop innovative research projects and generate impact in the FinTech industry.
I am an Assistant Professor of Economics at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), where I have taught since 2022. I also serve as a Visiting Scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. I hold a PhD in Economics and a BA in Mathematics, both from Rutgers University.Â
My research focuses on financial economics, banking, FinTech, and asset markets, with a particular interest in the connections being built between them. I have taught at leading institutions, including Princeton University and the London School of Economics. I am committed to bridging the gap between academic research and financial practice, drawing on policy experience and industry collaboration to advance knowledge in economics and finance.
I am a PhD candidate in Finance at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business. I hold a Master of Science in Computational Finance from the Rochester Institute of Technology. My research interests include blockchain economics, cryptocurrencies, fintech, decentralized economies, and game theory. My working papers examine topics such as pseudonymous undercollateralized loans, shareholder defaults in DeFi lending, blockchain adoption, and consensus mechanisms.Â
I have presented my research at conferences including Cambridge Alternative Finance, the Crypto and Blockchain Economics Forum, EFA, FMA, SFA, SWFA, and the UC Berkeley Crypto Economics Security Conference. I also serve as an ad-hoc referee for Finance Research Letters and China Accounting and Finance Review, and I have teaching experience as the primary instructor for Personal Finance as well as FinTech and Cryptocurrency courses. Additionally, I contributed to the review of the first formal game theory book on Bitcoin and have received research grants from the Bitcoin Policy Institute for my work on decentralized systems.