[Colloquium] Finding the Right Questions: Three Decades as a Physicist on the Financial Frontier

Speaker: Joseph D'Anna, Zeconomy, Inc.

Title: "Finding the Right Questions: Three Decades as a Physicist on the Financial Frontier"
Subtitle: Reflections and Advice for Physicists Considering Paths Beyond Academia

Abstract: What do random matrix theory, asset-backed securitization, and blockchain tokenization have in common? They've all been problems where a physicist's training proved invaluable, not necessarily because the math was hard, but because both the questions and answers were unknown. In this talk, I'll trace my journey from the UCSB Physics Department to Wall Street trading floors to my current work building infrastructure for tokenized financial instruments, drawing on the experiences of classmates and others I've met along the way. I'll share what I've learned about how physicists can succeed on frontiers beyond academia, how to navigate career transitions when the path isn't obvious, and why, in an era of powerful but opaque AI models, the physicist's discipline of understanding the fundamental nature of things has never been more critical. For anyone wondering about career paths outside academia into business, finance, or industry, I hope to show that your training as a scientist has prepared you for challenges you can't yet imagine.