Helen Buck is originally from Freetown, Sierra Leone. She has lived in North Carolina for over two decades. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from North Carolina A&T State University and a Master of Science degree in Accounting from University of North Carolina in Greensboro. She is also a certified public accountant. Helen’s career has always revolved around accounting and she is interested in merging her accounting knowledge with data analytics and forensic accounting. She is very fascinated about how each discipline can be powerful when combined.
Helen serves as the Director of Accounting at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and also as an adjunct professor in the College of Business and Economics.
Helen is pursuing a doctorate so that she could better contribute to both of her roles as administrator and faculty. She believes a DBA will also prepare her to solve other issues that she faces in her professional activities.
Helen’s research will be in data analytics and forensic accounting. Forensic accountants are usually introduced to organizations when there is suspicion of irregular activity. However, she is interested in understanding how the use of forensic accounting can be utilized in day to day processes with the use of data analytics. Would this have an impact on financial statements? Can this lead to the reduction of fraud and waste in an organization? What tools/technology could be utilized to accomplish such an endeavor and how can organizations with forensic staff gain a competitive advantage?
She is also interested in how interpretation of data analytics can contribute to more targeted and informed decisions, especially as it relates to internal control and fraud risks. She believes that a sound understanding of data analytics will help uncover a wealth of information that may have previously been less visible.