Nathaniel MacAdams

Why did you choose your majors?
I originally wanted to be an actuary. I found something I liked and stayed with it.

What was a significant accomplishment or fond memory from your time at UM?
My senior year I received both the Hume Memorial Award for most outstanding mathematics student from the Department of Mathematics and the Most Outstanding Economics Student award from the Department of Economics.

Tell us about the path that your career has taken since college.
I’ve been a commodity trader my whole career.  I actually originally wanted to be a trader after participating in trading experiments in my economics courses. I have been working in financial analysis, asset management, hedge fund investments, trading and financial strategy development wtihin the energy, natural gas, crude and refined products industries. The companies have included Earnst & Young, Enron Energy Services, British Petroleum, Citadel Investment Group, Quiet Light Securities, Rice Energy, and now EQT, where I manage EQT’s natural gas hedge book.

What is the value of studying economics and mathematics in today’s world?
I feel like I could have taken many career paths right out of college.  I still view students with a math degree as people who are smart enough to handle any technical job.

My favorite math course was differential equations.  I just remember being very proud of the ability to handle the material at the time.  In hindsight, it was advanced calculus.  While I don’t spend much time doing proofs, the skill in working through a math argument is vital to what I do on almost a daily basis.