NYT Best-Selling Author, Edward O. Thorp, to Deliver UC Irvine School of Physical Sciences and School of Education 2025 Commencement Keynote Address
Edward O. Thorp, hedge fund manager, blackjack strategist and New York Times best-selling author, will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2025 commencement ceremony.
The UC Irvine School of Physical Sciences and School of Education are proud to announce Edward O. Thorp, hedge fund manager, blackjack strategist and New York Times best-selling author, will serve as the keynote speaker for their joint 2025 commencement ceremony. The event will take place on Saturday, June 14 at 5 p.m. at the UC Irvine Bren Events Center.
A founding professor of the UC Irvine Department of Mathematics, Thorp is best known for his book "Beat the Dealer," the first to mathematically demonstrate that card counting can overcome casinos' "house advantage" in blackjack. Thorp is regarded as a pioneer in applying quantitative investment techniques to financial markets. He also co-developed the world’s first wearable computer with Claude Shannon, father of information theory.
Thorp received his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1958 and held faculty positions at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and New Mexico State University before joining the University of California, Irvine in 1965, where he was a professor of mathematics and finance through 1982. During his tenure at UC Irvine, Thorp generously funded a $1 million endowment to the mathematics program. After leaving UC Irvine, he pursued a successful career as a hedge fund manager.
“Ed Thorp embodies the pioneering spirit of the School of Physical Sciences. His career as a mathematician, innovator and investor continues to inspire,” said Dean and Professor of Physics & Astronomy James Bullock. “We are honored to welcome him as our 2025 commencement keynote speaker.”