Le Zhao, Ph.D., CFA

Hi, this is Le  (pronounced like the "luh", and it means "Happiness" in Mandarin). I am an Assistant Professor in Finance at California State University, Fresno.

My broad research interests lie in market microstructure and investments, and I particularly focus on dynamic market fragmentation and retail trading. You can find some of my research here. 

I have been taught many core undergraduate finance courses, such as Principle of Finance, Financial Management, International Finance, Intermediate Finance, and MBA classes, such as Seminar in International Finance, Management Project. In addition, I have served as a teaching assistant for three master-level finance courses in Risk Management and Portfolio Management. More details about teaching can be found here. 

I passed CFA level III on 2025. I’ve put together a summary of some study practices that made my learning more efficient and (dare I say) fun. Hope it’s helpful for anyone still working toward the CFA designation. CFA Study Tips That Worked for Me 

Email: lezhao@csufresno.edu