Maurits van Altvorst, a summa cum laude graduate of the double bachelor’s degree BSc² in Econometrics and Economics from Erasmus School of Economics, has been awarded the first prize in the CFA Quant Awards, a competition celebrating outstanding research in quantitative finance by students. Van Altvorst earned this distinction for his bachelor thesis, titled “Dynamic Economic Tracking Portfolios: Leveraging Random and Local Linear Forests for Macroeconomic Forecasts.”
In his thesis, Van Altvorst developed an innovative approach to economic tracking portfolios that allows economic trends like inflation to be detected more quickly and accurately using financial market data. His work focuses on how these dynamic portfolios identify different economic regimes, distinguishing patterns from stable growth to periods of crisis. This refined perspective aims to help economists and investors respond more effectively to economic changes.
After completing his thesis, Van Altvorst decided to submit it to the Quant Awards but wasn’t expecting to win. ‘When I received the email saying I’d won first prize, I was definitely surprised,’ he shared. ‘I’m both happy and proud. It’s gratifying to know that people appreciate your work, and that it made real impact rather than just earning a grade.’ His thesis was supervised by Assistant Professor Anastasija Tetereva, who described Van Altvorst as ‘displaying impressive creativity and a meticulous attention to detail. He took a path of greater risk and reward, with his strong work ethic evident from start to finish.’
About the CFA Quant Awards
The Quant Awards is an initiative led by several CFA Societies, local chapters of the CFA Institute—a global non-profit association of investment professionals. Entries are judged on their applicability, relevance, innovation, accuracy, completeness, and presentation. Winners receive a financial prize: €1,000 for third place, €2,000 for second, and €3,000 for first. An official award ceremony is set to take place in Amsterdam in March 2024.
- More information
For more information, please contact Ronald de Groot, Media & Public Relations Officer at Erasmus School of Economics, rdegroot@ese.eur.nl, mobile: +31 6 53 641 846.
