The J.P. Morgan Center for Commodities & Energy Management produces academic and applied research for the broad commodity practitioner audience. Our Center sponsors an annual Research Symposium in partnership with our global Research Council and Industry expert partners.
New Directions In Commodities Research Symposium
Date: August 12 - 13, 2025
Location: CU Denver Business School, 1475 Lawrence Street, Denver, CO 80202
Registration will open April 2025
The symposium's objective is to bring together global thought leaders and prominent commodities stakeholders from academia and industry to discuss their critical thinking and new research related to commodities. The focus of research is on the real-world relevance of commodities research with academic rigor.
Sessions are limited to outstanding research and comprise competitively selected and solicited papers, as well as industry research leaders’ presentations and industry panel discussions. In addition to traditional paper presentation sessions, we will have poster presentation sessions to showcase quality papers.
2024 Symposium Agenda 2023 Symposium Agenda 2022 Symposium Agenda
Logistics
The 2025 symposium will take place at the CU Denver Business School, Jake Jabs Event Center August 12 -13, 2025.
Monday
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Conference Presentations
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Cocktail Reception
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Dinner
Tuesday
8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Conference Presentations on Tuesday.
In-person registration includes lunches, dinner, drinks, and networking. A tentative agenda for the symposium will be released in April 2025.
For professionals attending the symposium from out of state, discounted hotel rates are available through the University of Colorado. You can access the list of hotels and rates here: CU Preferred Hotel Program.
Sponsorships
Show your company’s support to the next generation of researchers by sponsoring the New Directions Symposium! Multiple opportunities are available, including speaking opportunities. Contact Dr. Michael Orlando, Executive Director (michael.orlando@ucdenver.edu), for more information and to discuss the next steps.
Academic & Applied Research
Research from J.P. Morgan Endowed Chair and Research Director, Dr. Jian Yang
Dr. Jian Yang is an internationally recognized scholar and one of the most prolific authors in finance over the past 50 years, based on core finance journal publications, and is one of 15 commodities-friendly professors in the world. He serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Futures Markets as well as the Journal of Commodities Markets. Dr. Jian Yang also utilizes his academic research to provide applied research insights on practical problems through interviews with business media. Here is a showcase of his most recent research in commodities.
“Return and Volatility Transmission between Chinese and International Oil Futures Markets: A First Look,” Journal of Futures Markets, forthcoming, 2020.
“The Impact of Crude Oil Inventory Announcements on Prices: Evidence from Derivatives Markets,” Journal of Futures Markets, January 2018.
“Are There Exploitable Trends in Commodity Futures Prices?” Journal of Banking and Finance, September 2016.
Price discovery in chinese agricultural futures markets: A comprehensive look Jian Yang, Zheng Li, Tao Wang. The Journal of Futures Markets. December 17, 2020
The First Commodity Futures Index of 1933 Geetesh Bhardwaj, K. Geert Rouwenhorst. December 14, 2019
The Commodity Futures Risk Premium: 1871–2018 Geetesh Bhardwaj, Rajkumar Janardanan, K. Geert Rouwenhorst. October 1, 2019
Who Holds Positions in Agricultural Futures Markets Michel A. Robe & John Spencer Roberts, August 25, 2019.
The Relative Inefficiency of Petroleum Fiscal Regimes in Latin America and the Caribbean Graham A. Davis, Ph.D, James L. Smith, Ph.D., June 24, 2019
Resources and Diplomacy: Commodity Signposts to a Post-War Economic Order, GCARD, Colin Waugh, Summer 2022
The Day Oil Markets Reacted to Omicron, GCARD, Blu Putnam & Arthur Yu, Summer 2022
Gold and Bitcoin - A Short Study of Two Carbon Impacts, GCARD, Gillis Bjork Danielsen, Winter 2021
The Smile of the Volatility Risk Premia, GCARD, Ilia Bouchouev, Winter 2021
Searching for Asymmetry: The Case of Crude Oil GCARD, Blu Putnam, Winter 2021