W&L’s Fafatas Receives Accounting Research Award Professor Stephan Fafatas was recently awarded the 2021 Alfred R. Roberts Memorial Research Award, presented by the Academy of Accounting Historians.

By Will Edgar
July 19, 2021

Stephan Fafatas, associate professor of accounting at Washington and Lee University, was recently awarded the 2021 Alfred R. Roberts Memorial Research Award, presented by the Academy of Accounting Historians. The award includes a $1,000 grant for designated research regarding accounting history.

The prize recognizes work that increases the scope of accounting history and is based on 35 goals for accounting historians identified by Professor Emeritus Richard Vangermeersch of the University of Rhode Island.

Since 2017, Fafatas has organized pre-conference accounting history workshops at the American Accounting Association’s annual meetings. Participants in his sessions gain insight into research methods, data sources, classroom applications and publishing possibilities. The workshops also present a “boot camp” for new accounting historians.

“One of my current projects includes exploring commerce study in the U.S. during the 1800s,” Fafatas said. “This work involves using resources housed in W&L’s Special Collections and Archives and collaborating with Lynn Rainville, director of institutional history and museums at W&L, and Martin Persson, assistant professor of accounting at the University of Illinois.”

Other aspects of Fafatas’ research focus on issues in earnings quality and auditor reputation. His previous work includes analyzing the effects of audit failures on client financial reporting practices and the use of audit fees as a measure of Big Four market shares. More recent research focuses on the relationship between ethical citizenship rankings and financial reporting quality, as well as corporate disclosure choice.

“I am very honored to receive this award,” said Fafatas. “Funding from the award could help extend our current work on commerce and accounting education through visits to additional libraries and historical societies, both in Virginia and other parts of the U.S.”

Fafatas joined the Williams School faculty in 2006 after completing his doctorate in accounting at the University of Colorado. His primary teaching focus is financial accounting and financial statement analysis, and he recently developed a Spring Term class that explores topics related to accounting history. Fafatas also received the 2014 Innovation in Accounting History Education award from the Academy of Accounting Historians.

If you know a W&L faculty member who has done great, accolade-worthy things, tell us about them! Nominate them for an accolade.