Numerix Awards $20,000 Women in Finance Scholarship to Isha Patro
Patro credits the award with making graduate study at NYU possible
Numerix, a leading capital markets quantitative analytics technology provider, announced that Isha Patro has been named the 2025 recipient of its Women in Finance Scholarship. The annual $20,000 award supports women pursuing advanced degrees in finance. Patro will use the scholarship to pursue her Master's in Financial Engineering at New York University's Tandon School of Engineering, where the academic year has just begun.
Patro describes the opportunity as transformative. She shared, “This scholarship changed everything for me. Without it, NYU wouldn't have been possible. Now I can focus on my studies and take advantage of opportunities I never would have had time for otherwise. It's the difference between surviving college and thriving in it.”
“We’re thrilled to celebrate Patro as this year’s recipient,” said Manny Conti, CEO of Numerix. “Her vision, drive, and creativity are remarkable, and we’re honored to play a role in supporting her career journey at this early stage. With so much already accomplished, she represents the kind of future leader whose fresh perspective and drive will help advance financial engineering in new and exciting ways.”
Born and raised in Berhampur, India, Patro credits her parents’ unwavering support as central to her path. After earning an undergraduate degree in Computer Science, where she tackled real-world problems such as developing a sensor-driven buoy to mitigate oil spills, she worked on a major bank’s Fixed Income team, specializing in mortgage-backed securities. It was there she discovered her passion for financial engineering. “There was this pivotal moment when my manager walked us through the impact we made in tangible numbers. It was captivating. That’s when I knew financial engineering was my calling,” Patro explained.
Her interests stretch beyond finance. As a classically trained dancer, Patro draws on the arts to inspire her analytical approach, giving her a distinctive perspective on problem-solving and innovation. Looking ahead, she hopes to pursue a career in quantitative research and ultimately build a global investment platform that democratizes access to foreign markets.
Patro also emphasized the importance of programs like the Numerix Women in Finance Scholarship in encouraging women to pursue careers in finance. “To all the young women out there who want to build their career in finance or otherwise, just believe in yourself, stay curious and don't let stereotypes define you. Never shy away from taking up space.”
Now in its 11th year, the Numerix Women in Finance Scholarship, initially established by FINCAD and acquired by Numerix in 2023, has awarded over $200,000 to women worldwide pursuing graduate studies in quantitative finance. Each year, the program recognizes one exceptional student who demonstrates academic excellence and a commitment to advancing the industry.
About Numerix: Since its founding in 1996, Numerix has been at the vanguard of financial technology, providing groundbreaking expertise, quantitative analytics, and software that redefines pricing and risk management in the financial markets. With the strategic acquisitions of FINCAD, Kynex, and PolyPaths, Numerix has further strengthened its leadership position, empowering financial institutions worldwide to transform risk into opportunities with confidence.
Numerix is headquartered in New York City, with offices around the world in major financial centers that allow immediate access to the latest trends, innovations, and thought leaders in the industry. This extensive network across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific enables Numerix to offer localized support and services to its diverse clientele while drawing on global insights and expertise.