The University of Chicago financial mathematics team, Absolute Pricer’s, consisting of Yangfan Li, Wuhan Lin, Wenze Xu, and Linge Leng, placed first as the overall regional champion at the 2015 Risk Management Challenge Competition of the Professional Risk Managers International Association held Jan. 23 in Chicago.
This is the second year in a row that UChicago financial mathematics students have won this competition. The team’s case study focused on peer-to-peer lending in China and required the team to take into account the complex legal and business risk considerations involved with P2P lending.
This year’s competition featured 97 teams and 403 competitors representing 35 universities. Having advanced through the regional competition, the UChicago team will compete in the final international round in Minneapolis, Minn., on March 6. The team will compete for a $10,000 cash award against winning teams from participating chapters in Dublin, London, Montreal, New York, Toronto, and Vancouver.
The PRMIA Risk Management Challenge provides undergraduate and graduate students from multiple disciplines the opportunity to solve realistic business problems with a risk management focus. Ultimately, PRMC aims to develop and strengthen professional and social relationships between students, faculty members, and risk professionals. The competition is open to students in Europe, Canada and the United States.
—Prof. Jacqueline Stewart
