Behavioral finance and risk management are just two of the topics explored in depth in the research and academic papers that won top places in the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning 2017 Best Paper Awards announced Thursday.

The papers mark the latest thinking and advances in financial planning, according to the Center for Financial Planning. The papers were presented at the center’s Academic Research Colloquium held earlier in February.

“These winning papers are truly representative of all of the great work that is being done to build the body of knowledge for the financial planning profession,” said Marilyn Mohrman-Gillis, the center’s executive director.

The TD Ameritrade Institutional Best Paper Award in Behavioral Finance went to Dr. Ning Tang of San Diego State University and Dr. Timothy Lu of Peking University HSBC Business School. The paper explored the “Social Interaction Effects and Individual Portfolio Choice: Evidence from 401(k) Pension Plan Investors.”

The Northwestern Mutual Best Paper Award in Insurance/Risk Management with Implications for Financial Planning Practice was presented to Dr. Stuart Heckman and Benjamin Strother, both of Kansas State University. Their paper looked at “The Financial Impact and Duration of Disability Across the Lifespan.”

The Merrill Lynch Student Best Paper Award went to Maher Al Yousif of Texas Tech University for his look into “Who Seeks Financial Advice?”

The BMO Wealth Management Best Paper Award in Consumer Finance was presented to Dr. Joe J. Gladstone of the University of Cambridge and Dr. Emily N. Garbinsky of the University of Notre Dame. Their paper looked at “The Consumption Consequences of Couples Pooling Financial Resources.”

The CFP Board Center for Financial Planning Best Paper Award in Investments went to Dr. David Blanchett of Morningstar Investment Management, Dr. Michael Finke of Texas Tech University, and Dr. Michael Guillemette of University of Missouri for “Who Exhibits Time Varying Risk Aversion?”

The colloquium gathered the global academic community to showcase research within financial planning and related disciplines that directly or indirectly relates to the global financial planning practice and the body of knowledge, said the center.