Meet Dr. Ren Zhang

Dr. Ren Zhang arrived at the McCoy College of Business in 2020 as an assistant professor of economics. His teaching and research focus on empirical macroeconomics, monetary policy, and international finance and economics. 

Dr. Zhang completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees in China before entering the Ph.D. program in economics at Southern Methodist University in 2011. During his doctoral studies, he interned at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, where he worked on high-level research projects that supported monetary policy decisions. 

“I worked on three projects at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas,” said Dr. Zhang. “One of the papers was cited by the Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Richard Carida when he explained the revision of longer-term goals of monetary policy strategies in 2020.” 

After completing his Ph.D. in 2017, Dr. Zhang was an assistant professor of economics at Bowling Green University in Toledo, Ohio, for three years. Texas State’s location and the supportive environment brought him back to Texas for his position at McCoy College. 

“I like being close to Austin,” said Dr. Zhang. “The college is very supportive of teaching and research. As a junior faculty, it’s a good place to grow.”

Dr. Zhang earned the Robert J. Olney Early Career Research Award in 2022, which is presented to those in a tenure-track position at McCoy College, have been on tenure track for no less than two years and no more than four years, have significant research productivity, and have a promising research agenda.

His recent work has focused more on international economics with a new perspective on exchange rates. This research looks closely at how exchange rates are determined and how exchange rate fluctuations affect the price.

“The idea to consider is how the exchange rate may affect inflation depends on what factors causes exchange rate movements,” said Dr. Zhang. “It could be monetary policy; it could be from a supply struggle or demand struggle — all of these things may affect inflation in different ways.” 

Outside of McCoy College, Dr. Zhang takes advantage of living near the “Live Music Capital of the World” and enjoys going to concerts. He also likes to go to the gym, play tennis, and try new restaurants. ✯

For more information, email Twister Marquiss, manager of marketing and communications for the McCoy College of Business, at twister@txstate.edu.

About the McCoy College of Business

Established in 1970, Texas State’s business school officially became the McCoy College of Business in 2004 following a donation of $20 million by Emmett and Miriam McCoy. The college, which offers classes in both San Marcos and Round Rock, is accredited by AACSB in both business and accounting, and has graduated nearly 42,000 alumni.