James H. Simons: Mathematics, Common Sense and Good Luck

Jim Simons reflects on his life, highlighting the roles of luck, partnerships, and guiding principles in his varied career. He recounts early experiences, from a stock boy job to his academic pursuits in mathematics, emphasizing the beauty of Stokes' Theorem and his work with Chern. Simons details his transition into finance, the establishment of Renaissance Technologies, and the firm's reliance on mathematical models and collaborative research. He shares anecdotes illustrating the blend of common sense and luck in trading, such as the gold market story. Furthermore, Simons discusses his philanthropic endeavors through his foundation, focusing on basic science research and math education, and concludes with his guiding principles: originality, strong partnerships, beauty, persistence, and hope for good luck. The talk concludes with questions from the audience on topics ranging from hedge fund strategies to math education.