Monisha Gopalan

Data Scientist in Quantitative Finance with a Theoretical Physics background

I am Monisha Gopalan, 28 years old, originally from India, currently living in Italy. I am working as a Visual Data Scientist at Advanced Risk and Portfolio Management (ARPM). I hold dual master’s degrees in STEM, having earned my Bachelor of Science (Research) degree from the esteemed Indian Institute of Science, a university consistently ranked #1 in India for its research contributions. Securing a place in their highly interdisciplinary program stands as a significant achievement, considering that only 120 out of 1.5 million high school graduates attain this distinction. Following the completion of my Master’s degree in Materials Science at the same institution, I relocated to Italy to pursue a Master’s in Physics at the University of Padova.

My career took a pivotal turn following an internship as an AI Scientist at a startup in Milan, where I worked on a research paper (ICAIF’24: Hopfield Networks for Asset Allocation) applying Deep Learning techniques to Portfolio Optimization. This experience got me really excited about the opportunities to use my skills in quantitative finance and data science, shaping my current role at Advanced Risk and Portfolio Management (ARPM).

Resume Portfolio

Characterizing myself as inherently curious and quick to grasp new concepts, I consider my ability to delve to the core of a problem/concept my greatest strength. Having had the opportunity to study abstract mathematical courses like Topology and Group Theory and advanced physics courses like Quantum Field Theory and General Relativity, I find satisfaction in understanding phenomena through mathematical explanations. I adopt a critical approach to learning by posing questions to myself and scrutinizing alternatives. My enthusiasm extends to the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge and I highly appreciate how concepts from different domains can be harnessed to solve a particular problem. I am fascinated by the dynamic world of programming and it has been a consistent companion throughout my academic journey.

Career Objectives

I am passionate about advancing in the field of quantitative finance, where I can leverage my strong foundation in advanced mathematics, data science, and research. In the long term, I want to connect research with real-world applications, using data-driven insights to drive smarter decisions in the financial industry.

Hobbies

I love getting creative with art and crafts. In grade 5, I even won a national award for my handwriting! I’ve kept that skill alive through calligraphy. I also enjoy cooking (and eating) food from different cuisines.