UTEP Professor Ranked Among Top Three Real Estate Researchers Worldwide
EL PASO, Texas (May 20, 2025) – The Real Estate Academic Leadership (REAL) rankings have recognized UTEP Assistant Professor Zifeng Feng, Ph.D., as one of the world’s foremost leaders in real estate research.
Feng, a faculty member in the Department of Economics and Finance in the Woody L. Hunt College of Business, for contributions to the real estate body of knowledge. The ranking is based on Feng’s publications in the top three real estate journals — The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, The Journal of Real Estate Research and Real Estate Economics — from 2020-2024.
“This recognition reflects the exceptional talent and dedication of our real estate faculty,” said John Hadjimarcou, Ph.D., Rick and Ginger Francis Dean of the Hunt College of Business. “Our program continues to grow in prominence thanks to impactful research, forward-looking expertise, and a deep connection to real-world industry challenges. We are proud to see our faculty shaping the future of real estate scholarship, and look forward to expanding opportunities for students.”
Feng conducts research on commercial real estate, corporate finance and the application of generative artificial intelligence tools in financial analysis. He spent over a decade in consultancy and the real estate industry before transitioning to academia.
One of Feng’s areas of expertise focuses on the relationship between real estate investment trusts (REITs) and environmental, social and governance reporting (ESG disclosure). REITs are companies that own and typically operate income-producing real estate or related assets, and allow individuals to invest in large-scale, income-producing real estate. ESG disclosure is an approach through which companies convey their commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices and, in turn, build confidence in stakeholders. Feng’s research suggests that effective ESG disclosure can have a positive impact on REIT firm value and, correspondingly, yield financial benefits for individual investors.
“It is a great honor to be recognized by my peers as having contributed meaningfully to our field,” said Feng. “When I entered academia, I never expected to receive this degree of accolades; my focus was to do my part in advancing the field of real estate. I am grateful for the honor and even more motivated to produce research that is meaningful and practical.”
The latest rankings also show that UTEP’s Department of Economics and Finance has maintained its top ten ranking in real estate research. UTEP is also the highest-ranked university in Texas within the field, and the only Texas university ranked in the top 15.
Recent real estate research conducted at UTEP includes analyses of residential and commercial real estate; climate change solution policy; the impact on local real estate of moving manufacturing operations to Mexico from El Paso; and the effects of tariffs on local real estate market and property values for warehouse spaces, based on border-specific data.
To learn more about the Hunt College’s real estate program, visit utep.edu/realestate.
Last Updated on May 20, 2025 at 12:00 AM | Originally published May 20, 2025
By MC Staff UTEP Marketing and Communications
