RIP to the man who beat the efficient market hypothesis

Jim Simons—former professor who made contributions to the math behind string theory, turned arguably the most successful “quant” in finance ever, turned billionaire philanthropist—died on Friday, at the age of 86. I knew of Jim Simons because he funded a great deal of science behind the scenes, and tales of him by fellow scientists were usually accompanied by some funny story of his larger-than-life personality (like his penchant for smoking cigars inside). If you want to read a normal obituary, you can check out The New York Times. What follows is an abnormal obituary. For I personally met Jim only once, but it was in a manner, I believe, of the classic archetypal case. I had applied to be a Simons Fellow: a program in New York that gives you three years to just research whatever you like, free of teaching or administrative duties. A bunch of us promising younglings had made it to the interview stage and therefore through the doors and greenery and water features of the Flatiron Insti

Jim Simons—former professor who made contributions to the math behind string theory, turned arguably the most successful “quant” in finance ever, turned billionaire philanthropist—died on Friday, at the age of 86. I knew of Jim Simons because he funded a great deal of science behind the scenes, and tales of him by fellow scientists were usually accompanied by some funny story of his larger-than-life personality (like his penchant for smoking cigars inside). If you want to read a normal obituary, you can check out The New York Times. What follows is an abnormal obituary. For I personally met Ji