A sophisticated new trading lab at the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno, the only one of its type among higher educational institutions in Nevada, will give students a realistic taste of the high-pressure world of finance. 

The trading lab will open in late August in the John Tulloch Business Building that’s nearing completion in the Mathewson Gateway Project at the south side of the University campus.  

The lab will offer students a hands-on environment to sharpen their financial decision-making skills. 

“A finance trading lab transforms theory into practice, giving students the tools to navigate real-world markets with confidence,” said Qun Wu, chair of the Department of Finance. “It’s an essential bridge between classroom learning and the fast-paced world of financial decision-making.” 

Cameron Anderson, coordinator of technology in the College of Business, said the new 36-seat lab is equipped with 18 computers, each having dual 27-inch monitors. That configuration encourages students to work collaboratively. 

Anderson said the trading lab, powered by state-of-the-art high-speed computing hardware, draws on several robust software programs. Together, they create an experience that’s very similar to the environment in which professional financial traders work every day. 

“We’re providing our students with the experience that will allow them to succeed in world of financial trading,” Anderson said. “We’ve drawn together many sophisticated technologies to create a trading floor that’s a very close simulation to those in large financial centers.” 

He said Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate, the developer of the new 128,000-square-foot John Tullock Business Building, and Clark Construction, the builder of the project, worked closely with the College of Business to bring the trading lab to reality. 

Among the challenges, Anderson said, was creation of a double-sided stock ticker — one side that displays inside the trading lab, the other outside. When prices in the markets are moving up, they’ll be displayed in the University’s signature blue color. When prices fall, of course, they’ll be displayed in red. 

Greg Mosier, dean of the College of Business, said the new trading lab is expected to be a powerful tool to attract and retain excellent students and faculty. 

“The College of Business has built a strong reputation for its teaching as well as important research activities,” Mosier said. “This trading lab, the only one of its kind in the Nevada System of Higher Education, will further enhance the skills of students as they prepare for rewarding careers.”