A Genuine Pursuit: Alumni Spotlight with Wei Ding

While earning a master’s degree in applied mathematics at École Polytechnique, Wei Ding (MFin ’12) discovered her interest in finance. Wanting to further her understanding of the quantitative finance field, she began searching for advanced finance degree programs and applied to Princeton’s top-rated Master in Finance. Following an internship at BNP Paribas as a Credit Arbitrage Quant, Ding began the MFin at the Bendheim Center for Finance in 2011.

With her strong background in mathematics, Ding completed the MFin program in one year. After graduating from Princeton in 2012, Ding elevated her quantitative career as a Quant Trader at Akuna Capital in Chicago. Transitioning to Citadel in 2016, she became a Quantitative Researcher. After six years with Citadel, Ding took a similar position at IMC Trading. In June 2024, Ding was promoted to Quant Research Trading Team Lead at IMC Trading.

Lindsay Bracken, BCF’s Manager of career development and external relations, recently contacted Ding about the impact the Master in Finance program has had on her life and career. Keep reading for the full interview.

If you’re a Princeton BCF alumni who’s reached a milestone in your career, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to Bracken (lbracken@princeton.edu) to stay in touch and tell your story.

Bracken: After earning a Master’s degree in applied mathematics, what led you to pursue a second degree Master’s degree? And how did you choose Princeton BCF?

Ding: While studying applied mathematics, I discovered my interest in the finance industry, especially applying mathematical models in quantitative finance. Thus, I decided to pursue a second master’s degree in finance. Princeton BCF has a very high reputation in the industry, and the curriculum shows an outstanding balance between theoretical models and real-world applications. Its great networking opportunities with professionals in the industry and resources are also highly valuable.

Bracken: Can you describe the impact of mentorship on your life and career? What advice do you have for students looking for mentorship?

Ding: Mentorship provides a unique opportunity to gain specific knowledge. This is very different from learning something from a book, as there are more connections. You can be proactive on what you want and show genuine interest so that mentors can better help you. It’s also great for you to get constructive feedback from mentors; sometimes, you might get a new perspective about yourself and where you should improve.

Bracken: You’re currently a Quant Research Trading Team Lead at IMC Trading. Can you tell me more about your position and what an average day looks like?

Ding: I lead a quant research team at IMC for index options’ systematic trading. I work closely with traders and develop research ideas and systematic trading strategies. Everyone on the team collaborates and communicates with each other on a very regular basis, and my job is also to align their individual research with the team vision so that we, as a team, achieve something bigger and make an impact. Some days can be more intense than others. As in the trading world, “unexpected” is the norm. I am constantly thinking about how we can adapt to the changes and keep improving.

Bracken: Looking back on your time at Princeton, what courses or experiences altered or affirmed your goals and interests?

Ding: During my time at Princeton, I found many courses that were very useful in my later career. For example, the courses on financial econometrics and asset pricing gave me the skill sets I needed in my later quant trading career. I also got to meet many people in the industry through info sessions and all those networking events, and I started to be more sure about what I wanted for my career.

Bracken: How has the Princeton alumni network supported you during your career? Do you keep in touch with any MFin classmates?

I feel supported and connected. It makes me feel part of a community. I still keep in touch with some of my classmates, as we’ve been friends for a long time now. We are in different firms and have different roles, but for all these years, whenever we catch up or gather together, we still feel that connection that’s just so amazing and valuable.

Bracken: What advice would you give current Master in Finance students? What about potential students considering applying for the MFin?

Ding: Enjoy the beautiful campus while you can! I loved it so much. For current MFin students, I’d say school time is precious. I’m sure many of you know the importance of networking, meeting industry professionals, exploring career opportunities, etc.. Still, I want to say never underestimate the value of all the courses and assignments and do them well, as those give you substantial power when you later are in the industry yourself. This also applies to potential students considering applying for MFin. Be solid at what you are studying and genuine about what you pursue; you’ll benefit from all MFin’s resources.