This edition of APOGEE, the annual technical fest of BITS Pilani, is slated to see the contribution of the Students’ Academic Cell (SAC) for the first time. To know more about the same, the APOGEE English Press sat down with Chaitanya Sethi, the Secretary of SAC.

According to Chaitanya, the team did not initially have any plans to host an event. Nevertheless, a meeting produced the concept for Quantaculus, a mathematics and finance-related event.

Quantaculus comprises three rounds. The first round is a quant and finance-based puzzle round, which follows quantitative finance companies’ format in their preliminary recruitment rounds. The second round focuses on probability and statistics, specifically posing career-relevant case-study questions. The final round, inspired by MIT’s Integration Bee Challenge, is a Calculus Bee.

When asked about the event’s purpose, Chaitanya emphasised that the primary goal is to provide participants with a fun experience, while encouraging students to explore quant and finance. They aimed to bridge the gap between the academic and corporate worlds. He said that he hoped it would spark interest, give them confidence, and eventually improve the quant culture on campus.

SAC usually holds various talks on internships and placements outside APOGEE. Chaitanya disclosed that SAC intended to invite speakers to the occasion but was unable to do so as they did not find sponsors for the event in time. However, he added that they are hopeful of doing so in the future. He also discussed a minor challenge with the platform Unstop for conducting the quiz, but mentioned that they were finding alternate quiz platforms.

Motivating BITSians for APOGEE, he said, ‘If I had the opportunity to participate in this event, I would definitely do so.’ He emphasised that even those not interested in pursuing a career in these fields could enjoy the event and gain knowledge. He hopes the event will be a fun-filled experience for all participants and generate interest in quantitative finance and mathematics among BITSians.

Chaitanya concluded by expressing his gratitude for the experience he had gained while serving as a coordinator.