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mathematical algorithm that could predict accurately how markets behave, but more importantly how they respond to changing external variables. Or so he said.
Simons did not hire traditional finance guys. He wanted mathematicians that thought like tacticians in war and appreciated the power and beauty of computer algorithms.
It was as if Mercer had been preparing his entire life for his entry into Renaissance. At his first meeting with James Simons, it seemed that an invisible bond was being created between the master and a chosen one. Mercer immediately felt the connection and it was as if every thought that he had had originated with Simons. It was comforting, exhilarating, and frightening, all at once.
Simons was known for his studies on pattern recognition. He also developed the Chern-Simons form, and contributed to the development of string theory by providing a theoretical framework to combine geometry and topology with quantum field theory. Simons was also a mathematics professor and chairman of the mathematics department at Stony Brook University.
Mercer’s background meshed perfectly with Simons and the future of Renaissance. Mercer had a bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics from the University of New Mexico. While working on his degree, he had a job at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base writing programs. He then earned a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was working for IBM Research when Simons sought him out.
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