ACADEMIC RESEARCH. EXPLAINED.

The Democratize Quant mission is to turn academic insights into investment performance.

The event is a joint effort between Alpha Architect and Villanova University and serves as a compliment to the long-standing MARC academic conference, which is hosted by the Villanova Finance Department. (Recent coverage of the event is available here and here.)

Benefits of the conference:

  • Low-cost admission (At-cost; excess “profits” go to Villanova)
  • Intimate environment (100 attendees; screened applications)
  • The pursuit of intellectual truth (No product-hawking; no story-telling; no jerks)
  • 7 hours of CFP® CE Credit. 1

Who should attend? Investors looking to improve their knowledge:

  • Independent advisors
  • Family offices
  • Do-it-yourself HNW
  • Academic and practitioner researchers
2020 Info
Agenda
Logistics

TOMORROWS IDEAS. TODAY.

MEET YOUR FACULTY

Jack Vogel, PhD

Alpha Architect

Itay Goldstein, PhD

Wharton

Charles Wang, PhD

Harvard

Ben Johnson

Morningstar

Tommi Johnsen, PhD

Independent

Liqian Ren, PhD

WisdomTree

Dave Nadig

ETF.COM

Peter White

Enjine

Steve Young

Enjine

Niki Boyson, PhD

Northeastern University

Alice Bonaime, PhD

Arizona

Wesley R. Gray, PhD

Alpha Architect

Jonathan Regenstein

RStudio

AGENDA

Pre-Event (March 18th): Client-Only Executive Education

*Invite-Only session for strategic Alpha Architect partners
TimeEventLead Faculty
9:00amBreakfast N/A
10:00amSession 1 TBD
10:50amBreak N/A
11:00amPractical ApplicationTBD
11:50amBreak N/A
1:00pmSession 2TBD
1:50pmBreak N/A
2:00pmPractical ApplicationTBD
2:50pmBreak N/A
3:00pmSession 3TBD
3:50pmBreak N/A
4:00pmPractical ApplicationTBD
4:30pmBreak N/A
6:00pmEntertainmentTBD
Day 1 (March 19th) Agenda
 *Business casual attire
TimeEventLead Faculty
8:00amRegistration and Coffee Session N/A
8:45amDean’s Welcome and Opening RemarksVillanova Dean and Mike Pagano
9:00amThe Future of Financial Services Dave Nadig / Ben Johnson
9:45amBreak N/A
10:00amAcademic Updates: Payout policy and Share Repurchases Alice Bonaime
10:45pmBreak N/A
11:00pmAcademic Updates: Investment Factors Jack Vogel
11:45amBreak N/A
12:00pmDelivering Investment AdviceNiki Boyson / Tommi Johnsen
1:15pmBetter Data for Better OutcomesCharles Wang / Liqian Ren
2:00pmBreak N/A
2:15pmMachine Learning Tools for Professional InvestorsPeter White and Steve Young
3:00pmBreakN/A
3:15pmFund Due Diligence Tools for Professional InvestorsJonathan Regenstein and Wes Gray
4:00pmBreakN/A
4:15pmClosing remarksWes Gray
6:00pmBBQ/ReceptionAA World Headquarters
Day 2 (March 20th) Agenda
 Here is the official schedule on the Villanova Site.
TimeEventLead Faculty
8:15Registration and Coffee Session N/A
8:40Opening RemarksPagano
8:45Dean’s WelcomeN/A
9:00Financial Markets SessionMultiple
10:15Distinguished SpeakerTBD
10:45Coffee BreakN/A
11:00Investments SessionMultiple
12:15Lunch and KeynoteItay Goldstein
1:30Corporate Finance SessionMultiple
2:45Distinguished SpeakerTBD
3:15Coffee Break N/A
3:30Financial Institutions SessionMultiple
4:45ReceptionN/A
LOGISTICS
Dates
  • Client-Only Event: March 18, 2020
    • 9:00am – 5:00pm
  • Practitioner Event: March 19, 2020
    • 9:00am-5:00pm
  • Academic Event: March 20, 2019
    • 8:15am-4:45pm
    • Optional
MARC Information
Costs
 Conference is managed “at-cost:”
  • $250/attendee
  • 2-Day Conference Access
  • Excess “profits” donated to Villanova
Read about Villanova
Lodging
 The Radnor Hotel
  • 591 E. Lancaster Avenue
  • Wayne, PA 19087
 Fairfield by Marriot (Broomall)
  • 100 Lawrence Road
  • Broomall, PA 19008
Hotel Information
Location
 Villanova School of Business
  • Bartley Hall (Map Here and here)
  • 800 E. Lancaster Avenue
  • Villanova, PA 19085
 Parking details
Directions
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Notes:
  1. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP® certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM certification mark, the CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo and the CFP® certification mark (with flame design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. ↩