Alumni Spotlight: Hongren Jiang, Duke FinTech ’22

Duke University’s Master in Financial Technology (FinTech) graduates are equipped with the technical, financial, and management expertise needed to lead financial innovation. One of those graduates is Hongren Jiang, Duke FinTech class of 2022.

After graduation, Hongren secured a role at Dimensional Fund Advisors, where he was recently promoted to a trading research associate. In his role, he maintains and contributes to a large trading research codebase in C# using object-oriented programming, as well as enhances the trading research database in a SQL server. He monitors and enhances daily trading research processes through data analysis of the microstructure of equity market, trading cost analysis (TCA), trading algorithm analysis, and other investment research. Hongren also collaborates with IT to enhance the collection, processing, and storing of global equity tick data sets. Additionally, he uses SQL, Tableau, PowerBI, and MS Excel to collect, organize, and analyze data and present findings. Overall, Hongren focuses on knowing where data comes from to having an eye for nuances to ensure accuracy.

When reflecting on how the program prepared him for his current role, he focused on a variety of themes. In terms of programming and database management, the sequence of programming courses in the FinTech program equipped Hongren with the object-oriented programming skills he uses frequently in his role. It gave him extensive experience in designing, optimizing, and managing large datasets, which provided him the database management skills necessary to maintain and enhance trading research databases.

Another theme Hongren mentioned was financial market research. The program’s Financial Institution Products and Services course introduced him to the diverse number of products and services in financial markets, improving his ability to navigate and analyze complex market structures. The Asset Pricing and Risk Management course gave Hongren a deep understanding of equity markets, pricing models, and risk assessment. This formed a foundation for trading cost analysis (TCA) and trading algorithm, a foundation he uses frequently his role. Additionally, Quantitative Financial Analysis further enhanced his expertise in analyzing financial market data and understanding nuances of equity market microstructure. These skills are critical for the research in trading strategies and execution Hongren does daily.

The program also provided Hongren with a strong foundation in data analysis and visualization. The project he completed for the capstone course involved end-to-end data analysis and visualization, utilizing Tableau and Excel to present actionable insights. This taught him how to communicate findings, a task he does often in his current role. He also learned advance Excel techniques, such as macro development, sharpening his ability to manipulate data efficiently and create automated reporting processes.

Finally, Hongren mentioned how the program provided him important skills in project management and process improvement. Through the management of high-tech industries course, he gained skills in project management, process improvement, and cross-functional collaboration. These skills allow him to manage and enhance trading research processes effectively in his role. Additionally, his internship taught him how to implement data collection, processing, and storage systems, providing him directly relevant experience to managing larger datasets and ensuring data accuracy.

If you are interested in any of our programs, please contact us at pratt_fintech@duke.edu.