Souren Soumbatiants

Dr. Souren R. Soumbatiants

Lead Faculty
Finance and Economics
soumbats@franklin.edu

Dr. Souren Soumbatiants serves as Lead Faculty for Finance and Economics, bringing teaching and professional experience from across the nation and around the world. He has served five years as Assistant Professor of Business at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee, where he taught both graduate and undergraduate courses in Finance and Economics, International Business, and Management. He also served as a graduate assistant at the University of South Carolina and the University of Texas at Dallas. Prior to his arrival at Franklin, Soumbatiants was Deputy General Director of the closed joint stock company Sistema Finleasing in Moscow, Russia, where he researched new business opportunities and established contacts with foreign suppliers. In 2000, he served as a Financial Analyst for Elite Flooring and Design in Atlanta, developing integrated revenue analyses and financial forecasting. He also has ample presentation experience, presenting at conferences across the country on topics such as forecasting U.S. presidential elections and the characteristics of a balanced portfolio using index funds. Dr. Soumbatiants earned his Ph.D. in Economics (2003) and an M.I.B.S. in International Business (1997) from South Carolina along with an M.S. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1994 and a B.S. in Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics from Moscow State University in 1993.

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Education

Ph.D.,	University of South Carolina, 2003, Economics
M.I.B.S.,	University of South Carolina, 1997, International Business
M.S.,	University of Texas at Dallas, 1994, Applied Mathematics
B.S.,	Moscow State University, 1993, Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics

Academic/Professional Experience

2007-Present	Franklin University, Lead Faculty, Finance and Economics. Designed, developed and reviewed classes in Economics, Finance and International Business; organized chapter of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) on campus.
2002-2007	Lincoln Memorial University, Assistant Professor of Business. Taught graduate and undegraduate classes in Finance and Economics, Forecasting, International Business, International Financial Institutions, Management, Public Choice, Quantitative Methods, Research and Strategy. Pioneered the use of online, hybrid and ITV technologies for instruction. Introduced new classes and revised curriculum for MBA program.
1998-2001	University of South Carolina, Graduate Assistant. Taught principles of Economics. Created Web pages to supplement class materials and assignments.
1997-1998	East Point Holdings, Ltd, Financial Manager (Nicosia, Cyprus). Managed investment projects in Eastern Europe; worked with European Bank for Reconstruc tion and Development (EBRD) on financing, insurance, implementation, and progress monitoring.
1993-1995	University of Texas at Dallas, Graduate Assistant. Taught undegraduate level Vector Calculus and graduate level Business Calculus.
1993	Ernst & Young, Administrator. Administrator, translator, and coordinator on the project to develop software for conducting privatization auctions in Russia.

Professional Development

2006	Seminar in Asset Pricing and Markets, University of Tennessee
2006	Digital Course Design and Management workshop, Learning Asset Management Project of the Appalachian College Association
2003-2005	Appalachian College Association workshops on WebCT Vista, Blackboard, and other course management software applications.

Publications/Presentations

2006	With Henry W. Chappell and Eric Johnson, University of South Carolina, "Using State Polls to Forecast U.S. Presidential Election Outcomes", presented at the Public Choice Society Meetings in Baltimore, MD, March 2004, published in Public Choice 127:1-2 (April 2006), pp. 207-223.
2004	"Teaching a WebCT class on Forecasting U.S. Presidential Elections" presented at the ACA Summit in Abingdon, VA (November 2004).
2004	With Dr. Henry W. Chappell, University of South Carolina, "Forecasting U.S. Presidential Elections" presented at the Public Choice Society Meetings in Baltimore, MD (March 2004).
2003	With Dr. John R. Sellers, Lincoln Memorial University "Characteristics of a Balanced Portofolio Using Index Funds", presented at the ACA Summit in Johnson City, TN (November 2003).
2001	With Dr. Henry W. Chappell, University of South Carolina, "Forecasting the 2000 U.S. Presidential Election: An Update" presented at the Public Choice Society Meetings in San Antonio, TX (March 2001)

Memberships

	American Economic Association
	International Honor Society in Economics
	Appalachian College Association
	Midwest Economic Association