Tower Research CEO, Albert An, spoke at Columbia University as part of Practitioners’ Seminar 2025, an event within the university’s Mathematics of Finance (MAFN) MA program. The seminar series provides students specializing in mathematical finance with direct insights from industry leaders, bridging the gap between academia and real-world applications.

Albert’s talk focused on his career journey, the many facets of running a trading business, the role of mathematics and machine learning in modern financial markets, and offering valuable advice to the students. Following his presentation, Albert participated in an engaging Q&A session, where students had the opportunity to ask about industry trends, career advice, and the evolving interplay between theoretical finance and practical implementation.

At Tower, we value the opportunity to connect with the next generation of mathematicians and financial professionals. Events like the Columbia University’s Practitioners’ Seminar serve as a vital platform for fostering knowledge-sharing, mentorship, and collaboration between institutions like Columbia and the financial services industry, helping students prepare for long and productive careers.

About Columbia’s MAFN Program

The Department of Mathematics at Columbia University offers a Master of Arts program in Mathematics with a specialization in the Mathematics of Finance (MAFN). It is co-sponsored by the Department of Statistics, and it draws on the diverse strengths of the university in mathematics, statistics, stochastic processes, numerical methods, and financial applications.