Michael Palmer is currently a Professor of Finance and International Business at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. He was born in New York City in 1941. In the mid-50's, his family moved to San Diego, California where he graduated from La Jolla High School in 1958. After graduation, he began his undergraduate college studies in Mexico City at the University of the Americas. He completed his undergraduate business program, with a major in finance, from San Diego State University in 1963.  Two years later he received a master’s of science degree in finance and international economics from San Diego State University.  Upon graduation, he enrolling in the finance Ph.D. program at the University of Washington in Seattle.  After receiving his Ph.D. in 1967, Professor Palmer accepted a position with the finance faculty at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

In 1995, Professor Palmer was appointed Associate Dean of Faculty and Academic Program in the Leeds School of Business.  During his tenure, he successfully managed a complete revision of the College's undergraduate program.   In August 1999, he accepted the position of Interim Director of the University of Colorado's Office of International Education with responsibility for the University's study abroad programs and for international students' services.  In August 2000, he returned to the Leeds School of Business as a full time faculty member in the finance division. Currently, Professor Palmer's primary teaching areas include international financial management and international financial markets. He researches and publishes in the fields of corporate foreign market strategies, country risk, and the assessment and management of sovereign debt by international financial lenders.

      Professor Palmer is currently the Academic Director of the London Seminar in International Finance and Business, a five week summer study abroad program in London and Paris that focuses on London's role as an international financial center and business and financial issues in Europe.  Professor Palmer has been the on-site director for this Leeds School of Business study abroad program since 1987. 

      In 1979, 1980, 1985, and 2002, Michael Palmer was a visiting faculty member on Semester at Sea where he taught courses in international business, international finance, international economics, and corporate finance.  In the fall of 1992, the spring of 2003, the spring of 2005, and the spring of 2010, he was a visiting Professor at Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, Japan, where he taught classes in international business, international finance, and regional economic integration. In May 2004, Professor Palmer was a visiting Professor at Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China, where he taught a series of executive MBA classes in international business.