Hometown: Guangzhou, China
Degree: Ph.D. in finance

Zhaoque (Chosen) Zhou completed his undergraduate degree in mathematics in China, then came to the United States to continue his educational journey, earning two master’s degrees, in statistics from Michigan State University and in financial engineering from Columbia University.

Afterward, he went to work as a consultant intern at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. During this experience, Zhou realized that he still preferred the financial industry, so he decided to return to China. He worked as a trader for a nationally owned capital management firm, a role similar to hedge funds in the United States, where he traded on different types of underlying and derivatives. He also built a team that would serve as market makers for option markets and over-the-counter markets.

WHITMAN HAS A SMALL PH.D. PROGRAM...WE CAN BUILD CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR MENTORS AND...MAKE VALUABLE CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER PROFESSORS." —Zhaoque Zhou

His mentor, Raja Velu, professor of managerial statistics, influenced Zhou to attend the Whitman School. Zhou is interested in Velu’s research, which focuses on algorithm trading and high-frequency trading. During his time at Syracuse University, Zhou has been invited by professors to join their research projects and has been introduced to other established professors in his research field.

“Whitman has a small Ph.D. program, which is good for students like me because we can build close relationships with our mentors and have the chance to make valuable connections with other professors,” Zhou says.

He is grateful for the opportunities through the finance department and his professors, who have been supportive throughout the program. After he graduates, Zhou hopes to become an assistant professor at a research university.