Cinder Zhang

Dr. Xinde (Cinder) Zhang is an award-winning finance professor, curriculum innovator, and leading voice in AI-integrated finance education. At Purdue University’s Mitch Daniels School of Business, he applies his interdisciplinary expertise in finance, computer science, and systems design to reinvent how the next generation of finance professionals learn.

He is the creator of the DRIVER Framework—a six-stage methodology (Discover & Design, Represent, Implement, Validate, Evolve, Reflect) that cultivates analytical clarity, data fluency, and AI collaboration skills. This framework anchors his DRIVER textbook series, which is transforming finance education by embedding Python implementation and large language models (LLMs) directly into the learning process.

Prior to joining Purdue, Dr. Zhang led the development of the Financial Analytics concentration at the University of Arkansas and mentored students into roles at Goldman Sachs, State Street, MasterCard, EY, Citi and Walmart Global Tech. His work bridges theory and practice through AI-enhanced financial modeling, investment education, and systematic reasoning.

Beyond his academic pursuits, Dr. Zhang enjoys playing basketball—though lately, his teaching schedule has him missing the best pick-up games. Still, he remains committed to helping students gain not only technical skills but also the intellectual agility and integrity needed to thrive in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.