Alex Stein

I am a PhD candidate in Computer Science at the University of Maryland, College Park, advised by Professors Tom Goldstein and John Dickerson. My research interests cover a range of machine learning topics, including but not limited to: LLM reasoning, adversarial attacks, and efficient implementation of transformer architectures. I am especially interested in exploring the extent to which LLMs understand context, reason strategically, and generalize beyond their training data.

During the summer of 2025 I was a Quant Research Intern at Two Sigma Investments on the Structured Learning team (part of the wider equities alpha modeling team). My research was primarily focused on applying modern deep learning techniques to alpha forecasting.

Previously, I was an Applied Research intern at Capital One as part of the Behavior Modeling team where I explored using transformers for event prediction.

Before joining UMD, I was a Vice President in Algorithmic Research and Development at RBC Capital Markets in New York City, where I focused on enhancing the intelligence and infrastructure behind the Equities division’s proprietary execution platform. This role gave me hands-on experience with applying problem solving skills to real-world production systems.

I hold a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science and Operations Research from Columbia University. For more details, you can view my CV.