The Lundquist College has named associate professor of accounting Ryan Wilson the Thomas C. Stewart Distinguished Professor for 2015. One of college's most coveted honors, the Stewart professorship is an annual recognition awarded to an outstanding faculty member who advances the reputation of the college and the business community.

A nationally recognized scholar in the field of taxation, Wilson was honored for the quality and the quantity of his published research—and the impact this work has had on the college's standing in the world of academic accounting.

In his letter of nomination, Department of Accounting head and Scharpf Professor of Accounting David Guenther cited Wilson's prolific publishing record as well as the quality of the academic journals in which his articles have appeared.

“Ryan has made a dramatic difference in the visibility of the University of Oregon and our accounting program," wrote Guenther.

The Stewart professorship is the second honor Wilson has received from the college since he began teaching here in September 2013. He received the college's Goulet Research Excellence Award in June 2014.

Though Wilson is a relatively recent addition to the college, he has longstanding connections to the city of Eugene, the University of Oregon, and the Lundquist College.

Wilson grew up in Eugene and first got to know the college from visiting his mother Susan Wilson at her workplace—the office of then-dean Jim Reinmuth. When it came time for college, Wilson attended the University of Oregon and graduated in 1999 with a double degree in economics and accounting.

During Wilson's undergraduate years, a talk by professor emerita Helen Gernon first planted the idea for a career in academic accounting. After spending four years working at PwC, Wilson returned to school to pursue his PhD in accounting. Gernon and Johnson Memorial Professor of Accounting Steven Matsunaga helped advise Wilson when he began looking at doctoral programs.

For Wilson, returning to his Oregon roots has been deeply satisfying for many reasons—not least of which is the quality of his colleagues.

“One of the big attractions for me to come back was the chance to work with Dave Guenther and Linda Krull. They are two of the most well known people in tax research. There aren't too many schools that have three people that do this type of research. It made it a no-brainer for me to come back," said Wilson.