Applied accounting research. Real-world audit and risk experience.
The AUDIT Lab gives accounting students the opportunity to work on emerging issues shaping the profession; from AI governance and audit technology to risk strategy and talent development.
Through applied research, faculty mentorship, and practitioner-informed projects, students strengthen the analytical, ethical, and technical skills needed for modern accounting and internal audit careers.
Why It Matters for Students
A competitive edge for accounting careers
Students in the AUDIT Lab move beyond classroom case studies to explore the real questions facing audit leaders, boards, and risk professionals.
Participants gain experience in:
- Researching emerging accounting and audit issues
- Evaluating AI and technology risk
- Producing executive-ready reports and briefings
- Translating complex findings into practitioner insights
- Working closely with faculty, alumni, and industry professionals
- Building published scholarship and thought leadership
This experience helps students graduate with stronger preparation for careers in:
- Public accounting
- Internal audit
- Risk management
- Advisory services
- Compliance
- Financial leadership roles
What Students Work On
Research areas
Students investigate issues at the forefront of accounting and internal audit, including:
AI and Internal Audit Technology
AI adoption, governance, oversight frameworks, automation risk, and large language model ethics.
Audit Process Advancement
Modernizing methodology, improving risk assessment, and supporting continuous monitoring workflows.
Risk Technology Innovation
Evaluating the systems transforming internal audit planning, execution, and reporting.
Talent Pipeline and Strategy
Exploring workforce development, leadership pathways, and long-term sustainability in the profession.
Learning Through Applied Research
From research to professional practice
Students publish findings through working papers, op-eds, and practitioner-focused reports.
These projects help students develop the habits and outputs expected in professional environments:
- Clear business writing
- Data-backed recommendations
- Executive communication
- Ethical decision-making
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Research rigor
The result is an experience that mirrors the expectations students will face in accounting, audit, and advisory roles after graduation.
Faculty Mentorship + Industry Partnership
Supported by faculty and practitioners
Launched through a partnership with the Aletheia Research Institution, the AUDIT Lab connects students with faculty leadership, alumni expertise, and real-world advisory perspectives.
Students are mentored through a collaborative leadership model led by accounting faculty and research partners, creating a high-support environment for deeper academic and professional growth.
Student Achievement / Outcomes
Professional outcomes
The inaugural cohort’s first publication, The State of AI Adoption in Audit, Accounting and Upstream Disciplines, examined AI’s growing role in auditing, including risks tied to infrastructure, workforce disruption, and governance.
Publishing work at this level helps students:
- Build stronger resumes
- Develop writing samples for employers
- Demonstrate subject-matter expertise
- Stand out for internships and full-time roles
- Enter interviews with real applied examples