What happens when a meme stock short squeeze meets a 3-million-paper research archive? In Episode 30 of The New Barbarians Podcast, Bill Mann and Mark Connors sit down with Michael Magoulias, Commercial Director at SSRN (Social Science Research Network), to explore how early-stage academic research is shaping markets, technology, regulation—and your portfolio.From short interest factors and retail-driven squeezes to AI-curated research workflows and the philosophy of Plato, this episode traverses the evolving relationship between ideas, capital, and power. Michael reveals why SSRN is a leading indicator for innovation, and how ideas—when identified early—can become alpha-generating strategies long before they hit peer-reviewed journals.The conversation dives deep into:- The shrinking alpha window after publication (McLean & Pontiff’s “Does Academic Research Destroy Stock Return Predictability?”)- Meme stocks, short squeezes, and Reddit as a market force- SSRN as a “research data” source for investors- Societal impact, metadata, and how research is influencing regulators, journalists, and CEOs- C.S. Lewis, Plato, and what it means to chase “ideal forms” in investingWhether you're a hedge fund quant, academic, journalist, or just someone looking to peer behind the curtain of financial innovation—this episode is a must-listen.🔗 Follow Our Work:📜 Substack: New Barbarians Podcast - https://substack.com/@newbarbarians 📜 Substack: Mark R. Connors - https://substack.com/@markrconnors📜 Harmonic Insights (Bill Mann & Chris Rosa) - https://www.harmoniqinsights.com/📜 SSRN Pracitioner Quant Research - https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=2035436📜 SmartKarma - Bill Mann -- https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/william-mann-88ce6ae0-716e-4511-98ee-65b1af2765ff/researchTwitter - thenewbarbarianspodcast (@thenewbarbpod) / XChapters00:00 Character Development in Acting01:10 Introduction to SSRN and Academic Insights02:51 Market Trends and Short Interest Factors07:29 The Role of Data in Financial Markets14:34 The Impact of Legislation on Market Dynamics18:09 The Evolution of Academic Publishing24:54 The Value of Ideas vs. Data30:21 Exploring the Influence of Literature on Investment32:35 The Role of Research in Academic and Corporate Spheres35:40 Metrics and Impact of Research Publications39:05 Understanding Societal Impact in Research42:28 Bridging the Gap Between Academia and Practice45:46 The Evolution of Ideas and Financial Exploration49:15 Challenges in Modern Research Publishing#NewBarbariansPodcast #SSRN #MichaelMagoulias #AcademicAlpha #QuantResearch #ShortInterest #MemeStocks #FactorInvesting #LeadingIndicator #OpenAccess #FinancialResearch #SocietalImpact #AIinFinance #CognitiveAlpha #IdeasThatMatter #AcademicPublishing #Plato #CSLewis #DigitalAssets #QuantitativeFinance #EarlyStageResearch #BillMann #MarkConnors #FinancePhilosophy