from Hacker News

Jim Simons has died

by fgblanch on 5/10/24, 3:51 PM with 319 comments

  • by markgall on 5/10/24, 4:08 PM

    Will be interesting to see how this affects math research. He has pumped unthinkable amounts of money into the field. The only first-class flights I've taken in my life were to get to Simons-funded conferences at super fancy hotels. (I found these conferences a bit ridiculous, but the luxury treatment did ensure that they could get together a lot of the biggest names in the field in one place.)

    Besides the conferences, there is the SCGP at Stony Brook, the Simons Center in Manhattan, whatever MSRI is called now, AMS-Simons travel grants, tons of money for the arXiv, the Magma license deal... and that's just the stuff that I've benefited from personally. I know there's more, Simons Collaboration grants and probably other things I've never heard of. He was very good to us all.

    We've always joked that Phds in geometry-adjacent fields have to have one of the highest average incomes of any degree, probably at least $1 million a year. Simons making $3 billion, the rest of us making 90k apiece.

  • by rglover on 5/10/24, 6:01 PM

    Sorry to hear this. RIP.

    “Be guided by beauty. I really mean that. Pretty much everything I’ve done has had an aesthetic component, at least to me. Now you might think ‘well, building a company that’s trading bonds, what’s so aesthetic about that?’ But, what’s aesthetic about it is doing it right. Getting the right kind of people, and approaching the problem, and doing it right […] it’s a beautiful thing to do something right.”

    - Jim Simons

  • by tombert on 5/10/24, 4:08 PM

    Sadly I've never been able to snag an interview with RenTech (and I've applied like a dozen times), but they're the ones that actually made me start taking finance a lot more seriously. Maybe if I ever finish my PhD they'll hire me.

    I had previously thought of HFT and Quant as a bunch of "finance bros", and kind of dismissed it as "not real CS" [1]. Reading about RenTech and Jim Simons made realize that there's actually a lot of really cool and interesting math and CS that goes into this stuff.

    Jim Simons being a respected mathematician who just decided to change trajectories has always fascinated me, and it's sad that he's gone.

    [1] I don't believe this anymore and I feel dumb for thinking it in the first place.

  • by benreesman on 5/10/24, 7:29 PM

    What a loss. I hope I join the community in wishing the best for his loved ones.

    But also what a life. He could have quit 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago and been in the history books. What’s now called Chern-Simons is a monumental result in topology that IIRC dates to the mid-60s.

    Then he empirically disproved the strong-form EMH, a result in economics of which I’m unaware of any peer in its conclusiveness.

    Then he built SUNY Stoneybrook into possibly the best lab for topology and differential geometry in the world.

    Geometer, topologist, cryptographer, outspoken and fearless critic of needless war, trader, teacher, monument.

    Legend. May he rest.

  • by mushufasa on 5/10/24, 4:13 PM

    Last month an amazing biographical podcast came out describing his personal journey to starting rentech, and the factors that make the business so competitive.

    Certainly worth a listen https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/renaissance-technologies

  • by lvkv on 5/10/24, 4:52 PM

    As an alum of Stony Brook, I’m grateful for all Jim Simons did for the university. Aside from having been the chairman of the math department, he’s the reason we have the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, as well as the “Renaissance” School of Medicine. Not to mention his recent gift of $500 million—the largest unrestricted donation to a public university in American history. I’m sure there’s much, much more that he’s done that I’m not even aware of.

  • by djoshea on 5/10/24, 4:32 PM

    The Simons Foundation has had an enormous, transformative impact on neuroscience as well. It’s widely considered among the most incisive, forward-looking sources of funding in the field, pushing for fundamental advances to solve “tomorrow’s problems.” https://www.simonsfoundation.org/collaborations/#global-brai...

  • by CliffStoll on 5/10/24, 4:50 PM

    I'm personally grateful to Jim Simons -- and his foundation -- for supporting and extending mathematical research in Berkeley, and throughout the world.

    Jim Simons did fundamental research in topology; his work in mathematics, cryptography, and topological quantum field theory.

    Beyond this, he pressed for higher quality public education in math and encouraging training and presige for math teachers.

  • by chrispeel on 5/10/24, 4:14 PM

    Archive link for original article: https://archive.ph/zIx9b

    Simons also funded Quanta magazine: https://www.quantamagazine.org/about/

    His Wikipedia page is interesting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Simons_(mathematician)

  • by seper8 on 5/10/24, 4:00 PM

    https://youtu.be/QNznD9hMEh0?si=XrLiIDUV4WMfIz2V

    Interesting Numberphile interview with Jim, if you're not aware who he is

  • by therobots927 on 5/10/24, 7:32 PM

    I was lucky enough to see him speak at the Simons' Center for Geometry and Physics at Stony Brook as an undergrad, even though I had no idea what he was talking about (he was explaining the math behind the sculpture he had contracted for the university). He's always been an inspiration to me and I would strongly recommend (as other commenters already have) the book "The Man who Solved the Market" which gives the history of Renaissance Technologies. Whether it's his career in Math/Physics, or career in the stock market, he was at the top of the game. His contributions to the university in combination with his Philanthropic efforts to improve Math education are likely his greatest contributions to humanity. It's highly likely that my tuition was paid for by someone who worked for him at the Hedge Fund, or maybe even Simons himself. Rest In Peace Jim. :'(

  • by seliopou on 5/10/24, 8:46 PM

    I went to a Simons Foundation lecture in like 2014. The topic and speaker escapes me now, but at the reception beforehand there there was an old man smoking. At the time I indulged myself so I asked the guy that invited me if I could smoke there too. He said, "only Jim can smoke in here." And that's the first time I had any idea who Jim Simons was.

  • by mehulashah on 5/10/24, 4:11 PM

    This person made a lot of money, so it’s easy to say that he’s part of the machine. But, the man had principles. And he stood by them. Grateful for him showing us the way.

  • by abhgh on 5/10/24, 8:54 PM

    This is sad news indeed. The Simons Institute [1] in the UC Berkeley campus has had a positive impact in my life in terms of the many high quality talks (both in terms of content and recording quality) that they continue to put up on YouTube [2], while making it free to attend in online or in person (you have to register online). My wife and I have attended quite a few of them in person, and for people like us who are interested in learning but have no direct line into academia, this was one of the few avenues where we could learn what various researchers and research groups were working on, and interact with them. I had heard of the Medallion fund before I was aware of the Simons Institute but I never put the two together till a comment, either here or on reddit, mentioned Jim Simons as the connection.

    [1] https://simons.berkeley.edu/homepage

    [2] https://www.youtube.com/@SimonsInstituteTOC

  • by elorant on 5/10/24, 4:07 PM

    I highly recommend the book "The Man Who Solved the Market" by Gregory Zuckerman which explains how Simons build his infamous company.

    https://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Solved-Market-Revolution/dp/0...

  • by gnatman on 5/10/24, 4:01 PM

    His interview on Numberphile is great- very smart guy:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNznD9hMEh0

  • by 22SAS on 5/10/24, 4:59 PM

    I work at a trading firm. RIP to the GOAT, the god of quants.Reading about him and RenTec, back in high school, was one of the first things that got me attracted to the field.

  • by mfiguiere on 5/10/24, 4:17 PM

    Acquired Podcast did a 3 hours episode on the history of Renaissance Technologies last month.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KjW4BqNFy0

  • by imranq on 5/10/24, 4:02 PM

    "My algorithm has always been: You put smart people together, you give them a lot of freedom, create an atmosphere where everyone talks to everyone else. They're not hiding in the corner with their own little thing. They talk to everybody else. And you provide the best infrastructure. The best computers and so on that people can work with and make everyone partners"

  • by georgehaake on 5/10/24, 4:16 PM

    Pretty good run for an adult life-long heavy smoker.

  • by nunez on 5/10/24, 10:09 PM

    This is really sad. Simons definitely had some views I don't agree with, but he was one of the good ones overall.

    Specifically, I hope the Simons Foundation continues to fund Math for America. My wife participated in this program, and it helped her become an excellent educator while also _significantly_ helping her financially.

  • by MP_1729 on 5/10/24, 6:20 PM

    Simmons is one of the greatest people and a true inspiration as a mathematician, even though my career drifted from academia. He and Andrew Wiles are the reason why I always say I am a mathematician, even though I work elsewhere.

    RIP

  • by ilrwbwrkhv on 5/10/24, 4:13 PM

    Really sad. I looked up to him. Trying to achieve brilliance in a field and then gathering a brilliant team and making money and then giving back is a great way to live.

  • by tromp on 5/10/24, 4:04 PM

    The news item is blocked by many ad-blockers, including my Brave browser. Using Firefox I see the text:

    Simons Foundation Co-Founder, Mathematician and Investor Jim Simons Dies at 86 By Thomas Sumner May 10, 2024 Simons Foundation co-founder and chair emeritus Jim Simons. © Béatrice de Géa

    It is with great sadness that the Simons Foundation announces the death of its co-founder and chair emeritus, James Harris Simons, on May 10, 2024, at the age of 86, in New York City.

    Jim (as he preferred to be called) was an award-winning mathematician, a legend in quantitative investing, and an inspired and generous philanthropist.

    Together with his wife, Simons Foundation chair Marilyn Simons, he gave billions of dollars to hundreds of philanthropic causes, particularly those supporting math and science research and education. In 1994, they established the Simons Foundation, which supports scientists and organizations worldwide in advancing the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences.

    Jim was active in the work of the Simons Foundation until the end of his life, and his curiosity and lifelong passion for math and basic science were an inspiration to those around him. He was determined to make a meaningful difference in the level of support that mathematics and basic sciences received in the United States, notably by sponsoring projects that were important but unlikely to find funding elsewhere.

    Over its 30-year history, the Simons Foundation’s work has led to breakthroughs in our understanding of autism, the origins of the universe, cellular biology and computational science. Jim and Marilyn’s giving continues to support the next generation of mathematicians and scientists at schools and universities in New York City and around the world.

    Jim frequently said that he went through three phases in his professional life: mathematician, investor and philanthropist. He previously chaired the math department at Stony Brook University in New York, and his mathematical breakthroughs during that time are now instrumental to fields such as string theory, topology and condensed matter physics.

    In 1978, Jim founded what would become Renaissance Technologies, a hedge fund that pioneered quantitative trading and became one of the most profitable investment firms in history. He then turned his focus to making a difference in the world through the Simons Foundation, Simons Foundation International, Math for America and other philanthropic efforts.

    “Jim was an exceptional leader who did transformative work in mathematics and developed a world-leading investment company,” says Simons Foundation president David Spergel. “Together with Marilyn Simons, the current Simons Foundation board chair, Jim created an organization that has already had enormous impact in mathematics, basic science and our understanding of autism. The Simons Foundation, an in-perpetuity foundation, will carry their vision for philanthropy into the future.”

    Jim Simons is survived by his wife, three children, five grandchildren, a great-grandchild, and countless colleagues, friends and family who fondly recall his genuine curiosity and quick wit.

    We know that many people have stories, messages and memories they would like to share about Jim. Please send them to observing@simonsfoundation.org.

    Information on memorial services and other events honoring Jim’s life and legacy will be posted on the Simons Foundation website.

  • by max_ on 5/10/24, 5:05 PM

    He was writing his memoir.

    I really hope he finnished it, I was looking forward to reading it.

  • by javiramos on 5/11/24, 12:19 AM

    If you are interested in learning about the history of Rentech and Jim Simon’s life I highly recommend this podcast: https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/renaissance-technologies

  • by bmitc on 5/10/24, 7:41 PM

    While I'm not one to fawn after billionaires, I found his life story and personality really fascinating. He really seemed to maintain a humble approach, and in the Numberphile interview, which is excellent, he really emphasized the notion of luck in success. He donated a ton of money in very targeted ways that have been extremely successful. I think because of his humble approach, lack of self-promotion, etc., he's a bit unknown outside certain circles, but his impact in certain areas has been big.

    While I wish that our country didn't have to rely on billionaires spearheading initiatives, which often goes the wrong way, Simons was absolutely an example of one of the good ones.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNznD9hMEh0

  • by hellooodarkness on 5/10/24, 7:34 PM

    This is a huge loss for both the scientific community and the quant investing community!

  • by LifeIsBio on 5/10/24, 10:07 PM

    Just to add to the list of this Jim Simons did and funded, he also established the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI).

    "SFARI’s mission is to improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders by funding innovative research of the highest quality and relevance."

    SFARI in turn funds a lot of foundational neurological and rare disease research, since autism is such a common phenotype.

  • by Tistel on 5/10/24, 5:20 PM

    There is a nice book that goes into detail of his life called: "The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution"

  • by misiti3780 on 5/10/24, 6:16 PM

    RIP. He did a lot of great things w/ his life. Per the books about him, he was a life long smoker. Lucky he got to 86!

    https://twitter.com/quant_arb/status/1631052354408665091?lan...

  • by pm90 on 5/10/24, 6:13 PM

  • by philshem on 5/10/24, 7:29 PM

  • by rustcleaner on 5/10/24, 6:00 PM

    Heads up: website breaks on Fennec with uBlock Origin turned on (and all filters enabled). Website unbreaks when uBlock Origin is turned off. Looks like a new way to punish uBlock.

  • by Wistar on 5/11/24, 4:00 PM

    My favorite Simons interview.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNznD9hMEh0

  • by sagasu007 on 5/11/24, 7:15 AM

    I hope there will be people who really like mathematics to inherit his legacy and continue on. The world cannot develop without mathematics

  • by k8sToGo on 5/10/24, 4:00 PM

    Link seems to be broken. I can’t see anything

  • by wwarner on 5/10/24, 9:34 PM

    A great scientist. Rest peacefully Prof Simons. He probably deserved the Nobel for Chern-Simons theory.

  • by topherPedersen on 5/10/24, 6:27 PM

    I'm literally reading the last chapter of "The Man Who Solved the Market" right now. RIP

  • by richrichie on 5/11/24, 6:29 AM

    I would not be surprised if RenTec had developed GPT way before OpenAI and kept mum about it.

  • by thuum7 on 5/11/24, 1:57 AM

    RIP, I regularly read quanta magazine. It seems he has supported science a lot.

  • by pyrrhotech on 5/10/24, 9:05 PM

    Tragic news; he was my personal inspiration for getting into algotrading and founding https://grizzlybulls.com. The ultimate counter-example to the Efficient Market Hypothesis. RIP

  • by tremarley on 5/10/24, 4:33 PM

    One of the most impactful men of our generation.

    He will be remember for lifetimes

  • by shashanoid on 5/10/24, 4:23 PM

    Oh my god, may he rest in peace. I enjoyed listening to him

  • by aborsy on 5/10/24, 6:40 PM

    RIP. A good guy and a good foundation.

    Anyone knows the cause of death?

  • by gregjw on 5/10/24, 4:22 PM

    A true legend. RIP.

  • by rossant on 5/10/24, 9:28 PM

    So sad. He seamed like an extraordinary man.

  • by sirobg on 5/10/24, 11:24 PM

    Did he share some book recommendations?

  • by chirau on 5/11/24, 2:48 AM

    you'd think Jim would get a black bar on this site.

    What actually is the criteria? Or it just depends on how @dang is feeling.

    Jim is a hero in science, data, computing and finance. What else did he need to do?

  • by nybsjytm on 5/10/24, 5:08 PM

    Sometimes people act like guys like Bill Gates or Elon Musk are coming from deep personal scientific knowledge and accomplishment, but they're absolutely nothing compared to Simons. His contributions to geometry in the 60s and 70s, from minimal surfaces to Berger's classification of special holonomy to Chern-Simons theory, were fundamental and are still well-remembered. His name would be known even if he'd never gone into finance or philanthropy.

  • by sciencesama on 5/10/24, 10:59 PM

    Need a tracker for medallion fund

  • by goy on 5/10/24, 7:27 PM

    One of the greatest. RIP

  • by georgehill on 5/10/24, 7:04 PM

    He was a legend. RIP.

    Maybe a black bar on top of HN?

  • by sciencesama on 5/10/24, 10:59 PM

    Medallion fund

  • by PartiallyTyped on 5/10/24, 5:51 PM

    @dang may we have a black banner? thank you.

  • by doubloon on 5/11/24, 1:18 AM

    RIP

  • by EMCymatics on 5/10/24, 10:03 PM

    RIP.

    He was a real cool guy.

  • by OutOfHere on 5/10/24, 4:16 PM

    What was the cause of death?

  • by brcmthrowaway on 5/10/24, 5:01 PM

    RenTech is a CIA front company

  • by rybosworld on 5/10/24, 5:06 PM

    I might be naive but it seems unfortunate that so many bright minds end up using their talents to catch trillions of pennies in the financial markets.

  • by blackhaj7 on 5/10/24, 4:57 PM

    Anyone got a link to the rentec money machine source code? I fancy an early retirement.

    Jokes aside, really sad to hear this. The guy did a lot of good with the money from what I understand

  • by ldjkfkdsjnv on 5/10/24, 4:03 PM

    The reality is that most extremely wealthy people are very far on the right tail of intelligence. People exist that can predict the market, they are just very rare.