Interview Feature: Eric Ahn Discusses the Current Season
Princeton BSE Student's Senior Thesis Journey: Insights from Eric Ahn's Experience
In the world of finance, a senior thesis at Princeton University's Operations Research and Financial Engineering (ORFE) department is a significant milestone for BSE (Bachelor of Science in Engineering) majors. One such student, Eric Ahn, recently completed his thesis titled "Trading Options Around Earnings Uncertainty Risks."
Ahn chose this topic due to his interest in the subject matter and his previous experience as a Trading Intern at Citadel. His thesis aims to predict how much uncertainty is found in options, such as calls and puts, around earnings events that occur every quarter. By doing so, he hopes to create a tool for trade that can help navigate the volatile market.
The process of researching and writing a senior thesis at ORFE follows a streamlined and straightforward path. It begins with finding data, selecting models, developing models, deciding factors, evaluating model performance, and discussing findings. Ahn emphasizes the importance of starting early and being prepared to adapt as the project progresses.
Ahn was fortunate to have set deadlines in his ORFE class, which he suggests is crucial for staying focused and meeting the project's demands. If one does not have deadlines, he suggests setting self-imposed deadlines to ensure a timely completion.
Shannon Yeow, Engineering Correspondent, found Ahn's insights helpful for her junior year. In an interview, Yeow delved deeper into Ahn's thesis experience, discussing his research methods, findings, and the significance of his work.
Yeow was particularly impressed by Ahn's ability to meld the two types of finance: regular fundamentals and the quantitative side. This blend is a testament to the ORFE department's encouragement of research that combines rigorous quantitative methods with finance applications.
As Ahn narrowed his thesis topic, he considered his skill set, the available data, and the current research in the field. His thesis serves as a major academic milestone, demonstrating original insight and rigorous analysis, and promoting independent research skills crucial for students entering finance careers or graduate studies.
For those considering a senior thesis, Ahn's advice is clear: treat it like a real deadline, work ahead, and be prepared to adapt as the project progresses.
Yeow concludes, "I hope this interview was beneficial to the reader. I'm looking forward to the next article in the Seasonal Series." As for Ahn, he is undoubtedly moving forward, armed with the skills and experience gained from his senior thesis, ready to make his mark in the world of finance.
[References] [1] Operations Research and Financial Engineering (ORFE) at Princeton University. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.princeton.edu/orfe/ [2] Senior Thesis in Finance. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.princeton.edu/~orfe/undergraduate/senior-thesis/ [3] Princeton University. (2018, March 21). ORFE Undergraduate Research Symposium. Retrieved from https://www.princeton.edu/~orfe/undergraduate/symposium/ [4] Princeton University. (n.d.). BSE in Engineering: Finance. Retrieved from https://www.princeton.edu/engineering/academics/undergraduate/majors/finance/index.html
Eric Ahn's senior thesis journey, as detailed in 'Trading Options Around Earnings Uncertainty Risks,'—conceived during his time as a Trading Intern at Citadel—demonstrates the importance of independent work and personal growth in education-and-self-development. This undergraduate research project, a significant milestone for Princeton BSE majors, encompasses junior paper-like stages such as data collection, model development, and evaluation, promoting learning and fostering original insights for students on the cusp of finance careers or graduate studies. Shannon Yeow, an Engineering Correspondent, found Ahn's insights particularly valuable for her own junior paper, highlighting the blend of regular fundamentals and the quantitative side, a testament to the educational approach at Princeton's Operations Research and Financial Engineering (ORFE) department that encourages learning and personal-growth through education-and-self-development projects like the senior thesis.
