2023
IQC Finalist Spotlight:
Nihar Patel
2023
IQC Finalist Spotlight:
Nihar Patel
International Quant Champion, Nihar Patel, shares his experience during the competition.
What did you study at university?
I am currently pursuing a 4-year BTech program in Mathematics and Computing at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
How did you get interested in quantitative finance?
When I started university, I had little to no knowledge about the stock market. It was when a friend introduced me to the options market that I became intrigued and developed an initial interest.
How did you hear about the International Quant Championship (IQC)?
I learned about the IQC through a friend and also discovered it through WorldQuant’s partnership with Chess.com for the Champions Chess Tour. Additionally, the WorldQuant BRAIN India Team visited my campus and conducted a session about WorldQuant BRAIN and the IQC.
What do you want to get out of the BRAIN Consultancy Program?
I am constantly conducting research on BRAIN and generating new ideas for alphas. The BRAIN Research Consultancy program provides the necessary resources to test these ideas across different regions and universes, while also offering valuable mentorship advice. It serves as a great training ground in the field of quantitative finance.
What do you like most about the BRAIN platform?
The BRAIN platform is extremely user-friendly and allows anyone to get started quickly. The Learn section provides structured educational resources for beginners and facilitates gaining knowledge about the markets.
How do you come up with ideas for new alphas?
Most of my ideas stem from questions I pose to myself while reading research articles. I connect the dots and strive to be as creative as possible.
How has your experience working with WorldQuant and the IQC helped shape your career goals?
Participating in the IQC has been a transformative experience. The competitive nature of the competition pushed me to my limits and facilitated significant personal growth. It has accelerated my learning in quantitative finance and has fueled my growing interest in the field.
What advice would you give others considering getting involved with WorldQuant BRAIN and competing in the IQC?
Rather than rushing toward your goal, take the time to understand first. Question everything, and you will notice a difference in the long run.
* WorldQuant defines “Alphas” as mathematical models that seek to predict the future price movements of various financial instruments.
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