Research Projects Overview — Areas, Publications, and Collaborations - Dr. Gordon H Dash, Professor of Computational Finance and Interdisciplinary Neuroscience

Computational Neural Interfaces for Sustainability Across Capital Markets and Cities

Dr. Gordon H. Dash leads interdisciplinary projects at the intersection of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and computational methods with a particular emphasis on combinatorial optimization and derivative markets. Applications span from capital market hedging strategies to prosocial allocation problems, such as family apartment assignment in high-density urban housing, demonstrating a unique combination of quantitative finance, AI, and human-centered decision science.

Key Research Areas

Selected Publications & Manuscripts

Computational Finance

Dash G, Kajiji N, Vonella D, Zhou H. "Complexity-Aware Vector-Valued Machine Learning of State-Level Bond Returns: Evidence on South African Trade Spillovers Under SALT and OBBBA." Econometrics. 2026; 14(1):1. https://doi.org/10.3390/econometrics14010001
Dash, G., Kajiji, N., Zhou, H., & Vonella, D. (2023). "Municipal bond volatility spillover modeling with COVID-19 effects by hybrid integration of GARCH and machine learning: The connectedness of U.S. states and South African bond markets." The Business and Management Review, 14(1), 150–160.

Dash, G., Kajiji, N., & Kamdem, B. G. (2024). Asset Returns: Reimagining Generative ESG Indexes and Market Interconnectedness. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 17(10), 463. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm17100463
Dash, Gordon; Kajiji, Nina; Kamdem, Bruno, “Fortifying BRICS Sustainability Analytics: A Framework for the Delineation of Pervasive and Dynamic South African ESG Investment Factors.” Global Development Finance Conference, 21-22 November 2023, Cape Town, South Africa.
Zhou, Helper, and Dash, Gordon H. “Comparing the Predictive Performance of Shallow and Deep Learning Techniques in Predicting South African SMEs’ Growth During COVID-19,” 23^rd Conference of the International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS), Santiago, Chile, July 10 – 14. 2023.
Dash, Gordon, “Blockbuster Shrinkage of Multiobjective ESG Portfolios Using Explainable AI for Asset Return Prediction,” Plenary speaker at the 13th Triennial International Conference of the Association of Asia Pacific Operational Research Societies, Nov 9-12, 2022, Manilla, Philippines. Co-authors: Kajiji, Nina.
Thomaidis, Nikolaos S.; Dash, Gordon H.; Kajiji, Nina. “Dynamic orthogonal components in day-ahead electricity prices: the case of the PJM wholesale market.” The Energy Journal, Vol, 40(SI1), 2019. https://doi.org/10.5547/01956574.40.SI1.ntho
Dash, G. H., Jr., & Kajiji, N. (2014). On multiobjective combinatorial optimization and dynamic interim hedging of efficient portfolios. International Transactions in Operational Research, 21(6), 899–918. https://doi.org/10.1111/itor.12067
Sanghvi, Arun and Dash Jr., Gordon H. "Core Securities: Widening the Decision Dimensions." Security Selection and Active Portfolio Management. Edited by Peter L. Bernstein (Institutional Investor Books: New York, 1978), pp. 233-245.

Interdisciplinary Neuroscience

Dash, Miriam and Kajiji, Nina and Dash, Gordon H. and Donaldson, S. Tiffany, Latent Network Activation Profiles Following Acute Stress in a Rodent Model: An Integrated Multivariate c-Fos Analysis (April 15, 2026). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=7281341 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.7281341
Kajiji, Nina and Dash, Miriam and Clarkin, Christine and Dash, Gordon H., Modeling Disease Comorbidity Among Medicare Beneficiaries Through Social Determinants of Health: Advances in Multi-Target Machine Learning (January 24, 2026). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=6361378 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6361378
Liu, J., Scira, J., Donaldson, S., Kajiji, N., Dash, G. H., & Donaldson, S. T. (2018). "Sex and trait anxiety differences in psychological stress are modified by environment." Neuroscience, 383, 178–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.04.027
Dash, G., Kajiji, Nina; Kamdem, Bruno. "A Theory for Prosocial Public-Housing Assignment: Finding Utility in Translational Neuroscience from a Rodent Model," 15^th International Conference on Business and Economic Development (ICBED), New York City, NY, 20-21 April 2026.

Dash, Gordon., “Ethical Neuro AI: The “Unseen” Driver of SMME Resilience and Continuity,” Plenary speaker at the International Conference on Business Resilience, Continuity, and Regeneration, March 22 – 24, 2023, Durban, South Africa. Co-authors: Dash, Gordon, and Dash, Miriam.

Computational Finance: Books and Chapters

Dash, Jr., Gordon H., and Kajiji, Nina. (2026). Applied Risk Management: Valuation of Derivatives under AI and Data Science Technologies, 7^th Ed. (Delaware: The NKD Group Press). ISBN: 978-0-9908843-0-9
Thomaidis, Nikolaos and Dash Jr., Gordon H. Recent Advances in Computational Finance. Nova Science Publishers, Inc. (Hauppauge, New York). 2013. ISBN: 9781626181236

Contributions to Edited Works

Dash, Jr., Gordon H., and Kajiji, Nina. “Combinatorial Nonlinear Goal Programming for ESG Portfolio Optimization and Dynamic Hedge Management” in Mathematical and Statistical Methods for Actuarial Sciences and Finance, edited by C. Perma, and M. Sibilo, Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, 2014, pp. 77-80.
Kajiji, Nina and Dash Jr., Gordon. “Computational Practice: Multivariate Parametric or Nonparametric Modelling of European Bond Volatility Spillover?” Chapter 10, Recent Advances in Computational Finance. Edited by Thomaidis, Nikolaos and Dash, Jr., Gordon, Nova Science Publishers, Inc. New York, 2013, pp.187-204
Dash Jr., Gordon H., and Kajiji, Nina. Engineering a Generalized Neural Network Mapping of Volatility Spillovers in European Government Bond Markets, Handbook of Financial Engineering, Series: Springer Optimization and Its Applications, Vol. 18, Edited By C. Zopounidis, M. Doumpos, and P. Pardalos, Springer, 2008, pp. 201-230.
Dash, Jr., Gordon H., and Kajiji, Nina. “A Re-examination of Volatility Spillovers in European Government Bond Markets Using a Multi-objective Artificial Neural Network.” Data Mining VIII: Data, Text and Web Mining and Their Business Applications. Edited by A. Zanasi, C.A. Brebbia, and N.F.F. Ebecken (Wessex Institute of Technology Press: Southampton, UK, 2007), pp. 263-272.
Dash, Jr., Gordon H., and Kajiji, Nina. “Forecasting Worldwide Internet Subscribers 1998-2019: An Interactive Excel Spreadsheet Model.” Electronic Commerce: Behaviors of Suppliers, Producers, Intermediaries & Consumers, Volume 3. Edited by Ruby Roy Dholakia and Solveig Wikstrom, RITIM, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, September 1999.
Dash Jr., Gordon H., and Kajiji, Nina. "Stochastic Nonlinear Multiple Objective Optimization for Bank Portfolios in India: A Case for Punjab National Bank." Economic Liberalization: Its Impact on Indian Economy, Business, and Society. Edited by Varkey K Titus (Association of Indian Economic Studies: Emporia, 1997).

Application Software

Dash G, Kajiji, N. WinORS. (2026). (Version 25) The NKD Group, Inc. https://www.nkdgroup.global/Products/WinORS/winors.htm

Collaborations & Grants

Partners: University and industry collaborators (finance, neuroscience, operational research), medical research centers, and industry data providers.
Roles: PI/Co-PI on municipal-finance, multi-target neural networks, and optimal prosocial apartment housing.
Funding: Competitive grants and project applications across the U.S., South Africa, and Europe.
Timelines: Rolling multi-year programs; current cycle 2023–2026.

Interested in partnering on sustainability datasets or translational neuroscience in finance? Reach out to discuss scope and alignment.

How to Collaborate

Proposal guidelines: In 1–2 pages, outline the research question, expected contribution, data access, methods, and timeline. Identify prior completed works and desired outputs (paper, preprint, dataset, AI agent).

Fit: Projects at the intersection of computational finance, machine learning, and translational/computational neuroscience.

Turnaround: ~ one week.

Academic opportunities channel through The University of Rhode Island. Consultation projects channel through the NKD-Group, Inc. Are you ready to discuss collaboration? Suggestion: send a brief proposal or reach out with questions. Academic, clinical, and industry partners welcomed.