Nicholas Polson

Nicholas Polson is the Robert Law, Jr. Professor of Econometrics and Statistics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His academic career centers on Bayesian statistics with applications in financial econometrics and machine learning.

Polson's research interests span Bayesian statistics, financial econometrics, Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, particle learning, and deep learning applications in finance. His work has significantly contributed to understanding stochastic volatility models and developing new algorithms for Bayesian inference. He has pioneered applications of deep learning in asset pricing, portfolio management, and financial prediction, demonstrating how neural networks can detect complex patterns invisible to traditional financial models.

His recent publication trends reveal a strong focus on integrating deep learning with financial econometrics, particularly in developing characteristics-sorted factor models, portfolio optimization techniques, and explaining the performance differences between active and passive investment strategies. His work consistently bridges theoretical statistical methods with practical financial applications, with a particular emphasis on nonlinear modeling and high-dimensional data analysis.

• His article 'Bayesian Analysis of Stochastic Volatility Models' was named one of the most influential articles in the 20th anniversary issue of the Journal of Business and Economic Statistics

Polson teaches courses including 'Bayes, AI and Deep Learning' and 'Business Statistics' at Chicago Booth, with scheduled offerings for both 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 academic years. His work has been featured in Chicago Booth Review, where he has contributed insights on statistical analysis in chess, machine learning applications in money management, and the odds of cheating in competitive settings. His research demonstrates the powerful intersection of Bayesian statistics, financial modeling, and modern machine learning techniques.