Chao Qian is preparing for the trading environment of the future. More than 60 percent of stock volume is attributed to algorithmic trading, but older generations of traders have never learned to code. “In the future, I expect that everyone will need to be able to code and be comfortable with AI and machine learning,” he affirmed. “Thanks to the Masters of Quantitative Finance (MQF) program, I will be ready.”
Sixteen fast-paced months in the MQF Program affirmed the passion for programming that had first taken root as an undergraduate student in Prince Edward Island. “I recognized that it wasn’t enough to have strong math and statistics skills,” said Qian. “I needed to master programming to stand out.” He had learned several coding languages as an undergraduate student, but he noticed that some of his MQF classmates demonstrated more sophisticated programming skills. “I wanted to learn to write more elegant code that others can understand and build upon,” he shared. When Qian wasn’t applying for internships or studying for exams, he was reading books about coding, practicing on his own, and participating in coding competitions at Waterloo.
After a successful internship with TD Securities QMA, Qian accepted a full-time offer to join the team as a quantitative analyst. His team, which includes two other alumni of the MQF program, maintains a complex pricing library so that traders have all the information they need at their fingertips in real time. “I’m passionate about what I’m doing,” said Qian. “I have the opportunity to be close to the markets and provide an important service to traders.” Learn more about Chao's experience at Waterloo.