A Lincoln, Nebraska, native, Tom Kubick, graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration in 2011 with his Ph.D. in accounting. Now an assistant professor in accounting at the University of Kansas, he has made quite an impact on the accounting research community in the last five years.
“Most of my family has attended UNL, so it was a natural choice for me,” Kubick said. “When deciding to go back to school for my graduate degree, I chose UNL because I already knew the accounting faculty well and understood the level of exceptional work they do.”
Since graduating, he has published a number of articles in the top academic accounting journals, including “Product Market Power and Tax Avoidance: Market Leaders, Mimicking Strategies, and Stock Returns” with Dr. Dan Lynch, Dr. Mike Mayberry and Dr. Tom Omer in The Accounting Review (2015); “The Effects of Regulatory Scrutiny on Tax Avoidance: An Examination of SEC Comment Letters” with Lynch, Mayberry, and Omer, forthcoming in The Accounting Review and “General Counsel Prominence and Corporate Tax Policy” with Dr. John Abernathy and Dr. Adi Masli, forthcoming in Journal of the American Taxation Association. He has also published papers in the Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Journal of Corporate Finance, and Financial Management.
“I believe the key to successful research is to work on something that really interests you. Then it feels more like a hobby and something exciting that keeps you motivated. It feels less like a job or something you have to do,” Kubick said. “I have the most fun when working on something that feels like I’m right on the cusp of answering a great question and finding an answer that will actually help others.”
While in the accounting Ph.D. program, Kubick had many mentors with whom he worked on various research projects. They included Dr. David B Smith, Ray Dein Professor and Deloitte Scholar, who at the time was the director of the Ph.D. graduate program, Dr. Paul Shoemaker, senior associate dean for research and faculty engagement and BKD, LLP Professor of Accountancy, Dr. Aaron Crabtree, associate professor and director of the School of Accountancy, Dr. Arthur Allen, associate professor in accounting. Kubick has also benefited greatly from working with Dr. Thomas Omer, professor and Delmar Lienemann Sr. Chair of Accounting, who is now the director or the Ph.D. accounting graduate program.
“Each faculty member provided something new and interesting to apply to my research,” Kubick said. “Aaron taught a tax seminar which helped me to create more focused questions in tax research to narrow down my direction and think critically about the data. That was a real turning point for me and my research.”
At KU, Kubick teaches courses in taxation. His research interests include tax and corporate finance. He also teaches tax courses for Ernst & Young employees.
Published: May 27, 2016