Student Projects That Shape Real Understanding
We work with university students exploring how feelings influence money choices. Not theory alone—these are genuine research projects where students examine real patterns in Irish investor behavior during 2024 and early 2025.
What Students Actually Research
These aren't assignments you finish in a week. Students spend six to nine months with us, looking at how market anxiety affects portfolio choices or why Dublin investors make different decisions than Cork investors during volatile periods.
- Access to anonymized client decision data from 2023-2025 market periods
- Weekly sessions with our behavioral finance team discussing patterns they're finding
- Real methodology—surveys, interviews, statistical analysis of actual trades
- Results that sometimes challenge what textbooks say about rational investing
- Published findings that contribute to understanding Irish market psychology
One Trinity student discovered that investors who journaled their feelings before trades showed 23% less panic selling during the February 2024 correction. Another from UCD found family financial history predicted risk tolerance better than current income levels.
What Past Researchers Say
Students who completed projects with us in 2024 speak about their experience working with real financial data and genuine investor behavior.
I expected sterile data. Instead I interviewed twelve people about their worst investment mistakes and learned more about human nature than finance. The access Pephron gave me to actual client patterns made my dissertation feel legitimate rather than theoretical.
The mentorship was unexpected. I'd send findings on a Tuesday afternoon and get thoughtful responses by Wednesday with suggestions for deeper analysis. They treated my psychology perspective seriously even though this is a finance company. My supervisor noticed the quality difference.
How Projects Unfold
We structure research collaborations around academic calendars and actual learning needs. Most projects run September through April or February through August depending on your program requirements.
Initial Scoping
You come with research interests. We discuss what data we can share and what questions might yield interesting answers. Some students arrive with firm hypotheses; others develop them through conversations about what we're seeing in client behavior.
Data Access and Ethics
Everything goes through proper channels. You'll work with anonymized information, sign confidentiality agreements, and get ethics approval from your university. We've done this enough times to move quickly through administrative requirements.
Research Execution
You do the actual work. We provide context when needed, answer questions about industry practices, and occasionally point out patterns you might miss. Think of us as informed observers rather than directors.
Results and Publication
Your findings belong to you for academic purposes. If results prove interesting, we might reference them in client communications with your permission. Several past projects have turned into conference presentations or journal submissions.
Applications Open for Autumn 2025
We're accepting proposals for September 2025 start dates through May 15th. Projects typically require third-year standing or higher in finance, psychology, economics, or related fields. Send us your research interests and we'll discuss possibilities.
Discuss Your Research Ideas