A New Academic Year at MSCF

As we begin a new academic year at Carnegie Mellon’s Master of Science in Computational Finance program, we have much to celebrate and much to look forward to. Our students continue to achieve outstanding results, we are welcoming a talented new class, and we are launching new academic initiatives and opportunities for industry engagement.

One of the great privileges of leading MSCF is watching the program continue to grow and evolve. Our students, alumni, faculty, staff, and industry partners make MSCF more than a graduate program. It is a global community with a shared passion for quantitative finance and a commitment to preparing the next generation of leaders in the field.

Celebrating Student Success

We begin with our most recent graduating class. Within three months, 100% of students had accepted full-time offers, and every first-year student secured a summer internship.

These outcomes reflect the talent of our students, the dedication of our faculty and staff, and the support of our alumni and employer partners. Your mentoring, recruiting, referrals, and advocacy make a lasting difference in our students’ success.

Welcoming Our Newest Class

We are also excited to welcome an incoming class of 102 students, selected from roughly 900 applicants. Drawn from around the world, this talented group brings a range of academic backgrounds, professional experiences, and perspectives.

They are joining a program where they will have opportunities to apply what they learn in the classroom to real financial challenges, with support from faculty, alumni, and industry partners.

The group represents 15 countries and 71 different undergraduate institutions.

Launching the Commodities Quant Lab

This year, we are launching the Commodities Quant Lab (CQLab) under the leadership of its inaugural director, Ilia Bouchouev.

CQLab will bring education, research, and industry together to address real market problems. Through applied research, industry datasets, competitions, and practitioner engagement, the Lab will connect quantitative theory with financial markets and create new opportunities for collaboration across Carnegie Mellon and with industry.

Students and faculty will work on capstone and applied research projects tied to real market questions, while industry partners will contribute data, project themes, and practitioner expertise. The Lab will also convene forums and events bringing together students, faculty, alumni, and industry leaders around emerging challenges in global commodity markets. Keep an eye out for more information coming soon!

Expanding the MSCF Experience

We are entering the second year of our partnership with Carnegie Mellon’s Computer Science Department, now one of MSCF’s four academic partners. The collaboration deepens the program’s computational foundation and expands opportunities in deep learning, algorithms, and data-intensive finance.

We will also continue to expand experiential learning, incorporate more real-world datasets, and introduce new coursework in blockchain, cryptocurrency, and digital assets. These developments are part of our ongoing effort to combine rigorous quantitative training with advanced computation and practical financial applications.

We are also delighted to welcome Rhonda Khan as our Communication & Leadership Instructor and Shelli Faber as our Careers Coach based in New York City. Rhonda is a nationally recognized communication strategist who will help students strengthen their presence, confidence, and communication in high-stakes professional settings. Shelli brings extensive quantitative analytics, risk, and capital markets leadership experience from BlackRock and will help students translate their technical skills into successful careers in the industry. Both will play an important role in preparing our students to stand out and succeed.

Stay Connected

I invite you to explore our refreshed MSCF website, learn more about CQLab, and stay connected with the program. Alumni and industry partners can also get involved by mentoring students, recruiting graduates, participating in Lab activities, and sharing their expertise with the next generation of quantitative finance professionals.

Whether you are a student, alumnus, faculty or staff member, prospective student, or industry partner, thank you for your interest in and support of MSCF. I look forward to another year of working together and continuing to build on MSCF’s strengths in quantitative finance education.

Warm regards,

Robert Simon
Executive Director
Master of Science in Computational Finance
Carnegie Mellon University