POTSDAM -- A newly hired Clarkson University professor has successfully defended his dissertation as part of the “PhD Project.”

Jose Vega, successfully defended his dissertation titled “Do Industry Specialist Auditors Enhance Financial Reporting Quality? A Comparative Study of the Mandatory Adoption of IFRS in the European Union."

He will receive his Ph.D. in accounting from the University of Texas San Antonio and has joined the faculty at Clarkson University.

Vega is one of 52 male Hispanic-American accounting business school professors in the United States, most of whom have become professors since the PhD Project was created in 1994.

"Dr. Vega has succeeded in the very difficult endeavor of becoming a business school professor,” said Bernard J. Milano, president of the PhD Project. “He has demonstrated dedication, hard work and intelligence in joining the rapidly growing ranks of minorities choosing to influence the next generation of business leaders as college professors. The PhD Project takes great pride in his achievements, and looks forward to following his success throughout his career.”

The PhD Project is an award-winning program designed to create a more diverse corporate America, according to a press release from the project. The project's goal is to increase the number of minority business professors.

For more information on the project visit: www.phdproject.org or contact Lisa King at 646-234-5080 or lisak@mediaimpact.biz.