Joseph Ugrin
RSM US LLP Chair
Accounting Head and Professor
CBB 331
Joseph Ugrin
RSM US LLP Chair
Accounting Head and Professor
Joseph Ugrin, PhD, CPA combines professional experience in business and industry with extensive work in higher education, research, and academic leadership. Before entering academia, he was as a practicing CPA and later worked in corporate financial management. Throughout his career, he has focused on advancing accounting education, strengthening connections between universities and the business community, and preparing students for successful professional careers. He is a board member of the Iowa Society of CPA and is past chair of the PreCertification Education Executive Committee of the American Institute of CPAs with a mission of bridging academic and practice communities.
Hobbies & Interests
Ugrin enjoys spending time with family, pick-up basketball, old motorcycles, fishing, playing the piano and his dogs.
PhD (Accounting and Management Information Systems), Southern Illinois University; Certificate (Artificial Intelligence), Rennes School of Business; MBA, University of North Dakota; Bachelor's (Accounting), Dickinson State University; Associate's, Miles Community College
Managerial and Financial Accounting, Cost Accounting, Accounting Information Systems
Professor Ugrin researches human behavior and decision-making in accounting and information systems. He specializes in experimental and survey-based research, and examines questions like, “How do business people choose different types of accounting treatments? How does ethics and integrity influence their decisions? How do they formulate decisions to make investments in structures and technologies? How do they decide to spend their worktime?” He also researches the effects of educational practices and pedagogies on student learning.
Research Awards
2018 American Accounting Association Best Research Paper Award - Forensic Accounting Section
2016 American Accounting Association Best Research Paper Award - Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Section
2012 American Accounting Association McGraw-Hill Irwin Distinguished Research Paper Award - Southwest Region
Grants Awards
Institute of Management Accountants
National Association of State Boards of Accountancy
Koch Industries
Kansas State University
Pontikes Center for Management Information
Academic Service Positions
American Accounting Association - Accounting Programs Leadership Group
AICPA Pre-Certification Education Executive Committee (Past-Member and Committee Chair)
Consultant to AICPA on Managerial Accounting Curriculum
American Accounting Association – Academic Program Leadership Group
Founding Member – American Accounting Researchers and Educators
Associate Editor - Advances in Accounting
Editorial Board Member - Journal of Information Systems
Editorial Board Member - Accounting Educators Journal
Administrative Positions
College Coordinator - University Honors Program (Kansas State University)
Professional Positions
Financial Manager - Steffes Corporation
Certified Public Accountant - Kovash and Dasovick PC (North Dakota)
Community Service Positions
Board Member – Iowa Society of CPAs
Board Member - Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity