About Caltech

Antonio Rangel, the Bing Professor of Neuroscience, Behavioral Biology and Economics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), is at the forefront of neuroeconomics research. His laboratory investigates the computational and neurobiological foundations of decision-making, focusing on simple choices, self-control problems, and altruistic behavior. Professor Rangel's interdisciplinary approach combines neuroscience, economics, and psychology to unravel the complexities of how the brain makes decisions. Using advanced techniques such as computational modeling and neuroimaging, his work examines how the brain assigns and compares values, and how attention influences these processes. As a passionate educator, Rangel has been teaching economics principles since his graduate days at Harvard, where he earned his Ph.D. in Economics in 1998. His groundbreaking research in the Rangel Neuroeconomics Laboratory at Caltech not only bridges biological and social sciences but also has far-reaching implications for fields like economics, psychiatry, and the development of decision-enhancing technologies. Through his innovative work, Professor Rangel continues to shape our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying human choice and behavior.

Jaksa Cvitanic is a distinguished scholar and educator in the fields of mathematical finance, financial engineering, and financial economics. With a career spanning over two decades, he has made significant contributions to academia through his teaching, research, and publications. Professor Cvitanic has held teaching positions at prestigious institutions including Columbia University, the University of Southern California, EDHEC Business School, and currently at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). His expertise is reflected in his extensive publication record, which includes two influential books: "Introduction to the Economics and Mathematics of Financial Markets" and "Contract Theory in Continuous Time Models," as well as more than fifty scientific articles. Cvitanic's research has significantly advanced understanding in areas such as portfolio optimization, risk management, and financial contracts. His work on convex duality in constrained portfolio optimization, published in 1992, has been particularly impactful, garnering over 880 citations. In addition to his research, Cvitanic has served as a co-editor for prominent journals in the field, including "Finance and Stochastics" and "Mathematical Finance," further cementing his status as a leading figure in mathematical finance and financial economics.

Dr. Yaser S. Abu-Mostafa is a distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the California Institute of Technology, renowned for his expertise in machine learning and computational finance. His contributions to these fields are exemplified by his co-authorship of the bestselling book "Learning From Data" and his role as co-founder of the prestigious Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS) annual conference. Throughout his career, Dr. Abu-Mostafa has garnered numerous accolades, including the Clauser Prize for his doctoral thesis and the Feynman Prize for teaching excellence. His impact extends beyond academia, as evidenced by his nine-year consultancy with Citibank and his leadership in organizing conferences that bridge machine learning and finance. Dr. Abu-Mostafa's influence in shaping the field is further recognized by the Hertz Foundation's establishment of a perpetual graduate fellowship in his name. With a prolific publication record, including articles in Scientific American, and a history of delivering keynote lectures at international conferences, Dr. Abu-Mostafa continues to be a leading figure in advancing machine learning research and its practical applications in finance and beyond.