About Us

The G53 Network purpose

We aim to bring together the best researchers from all over the world to connect and collaborate. We are also committed to building the next generation of researchers. We will promote rigorous research, facilitate the exchange of ideas and provide evidence to inform policy and programs, and ultimately, devise concrete solutions to combat financial illiteracy. Together, we aspire to address global challenges and to empower people to achieve better life outcomes.

Our members represent different fields such as economics, finance, business, public policy, accountancy, marketing and law, which highlights the wide reach of financial literacy and personal finance research – and the impact on multiple sectors.

We believe that collaboration can make the difference. We are the G53 Network, working together for the greater good.

Chairs

A few years ago, during an academic conference at the American Economic Association Annual Meeting, Annamaria Lusardi and Panu Kalmi talked for the first time about creating a global network to connect financial literacy and personal finance researchers. They realized the need for and the potential of connecting researchers, and the impact it could have on improving financial literacy rates around the globe. The economic crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the development of the network. Today, they are putting this idea into action as the first co-chairs of the G53 Network.

Co-chair Prof. Annamaria Lusardi

Annamaria Lusardi is University Professor of Economics and Accountancy at the George Washington University. Moreover, she is the founder and academic director of the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC). She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Princeton University. Professor Lusardi received numerous research awards. In both 2017 and 2021, she was included in the Clarivate list, which recognizes academics of exceptional research influence. Since 2017, she is Director of the Financial Education Committee in charge of designing a national strategy for financial literacy in Italy.

Website | Twitter | LinkedIn

Co-chair Prof. Panu Kalmi

Panu Kalmi is Professor of Economics and Vice Dean at the School of Accounting and Finance of the University of Vaasa, where he was previously (in 2018) acting Dean. He has a Ph.D. from the Copenhagen Business School and was previously an academy research fellow and acting chair professor at the Helsinki School of Economics (now Aalto University). He was part of the group of researchers advising the plan for the national strategy for financial literacy in Finland.

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Executive Committee Members

Dave Fernandez, Singapore Management University
Tim Kaiser, University of Koblenz-Landau
Pierre-Carl Michaud, HEC Montreal
Alessia Sconti, The George Washington University
 

Our funders

The G53 Network is powered by the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center at the George Washington University School of Businessthe Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics at the Singapore Management Universityand Next Gen Personal Finance. 

If you are interested in supporting the G53 Network, please send an email to G53Network@gwu.edu.

Media contact

For more information about the network, please download our press release
If you are interested in connecting with the G53 Network’s representatives for media opportunities, please contact us at G53Network@gwu.edu.