Events and Competitions

This page shows events and competitions being hosted by our Supporters' Club members.

MathWorks: Introduction to MATLAB & Simulink

Curious about MATLAB and Simulink but not sure where to start? Want to know how they are used in industry and how they may boost your career? Join us for this beginner-friendly workshop on 26 Oct at the Department of Engineering to learn more! Event details and sign-up link: https://forms.gle/mKmXfbn6AFi99fin7. You can also check out our Instagram @mtlbsacam. Any questions please reach out to jc2286. 

The Optiver & Cambridge Trading Academy

The Optiver & Cambridge Trading Academy is back. Over 8 sessions you'll learn from Optiver traders and senior Quantitative Researchers, progress from options theory to hands-on Python algorithm design, and test your skills on Optiver's 24/7 simulated exchange, Optibook. You'll also hear how research shapes the way a leading market maker trades, plus a look at how AI is used at Optiver. The academy concludes with the Oxbridge Varsity Final on Saturday 21 November — Cambridge against Oxford in a live trading showdown. Apply by Wednesday 14 October, 23:59 BST to secure your spot and represent Cambridge.

Key details

• Course duration: 23 October – 21 November 2026
• Schedule: Friday evenings (17:30–20:00) and weekend afternoons (14:30–17:00)
• Venue: Wolfson Hall, Churchill College
• Finale: Oxbridge Varsity Final + prize giving — Saturday 21 November
• Applications deadline: Wednesday 14 October, 23:59 BST

Apply here: https://www.optiver.com/join-us/events/cambridge-trading-academy/

Jane Street Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) - PhD Students

Applications for the 2027 Jane Street Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) are now open! The Fellowship supports exceptional doctoral students currently pursuing a PhD in computer science, electrical engineering, mathematics, physics, or statistics.

At Jane Street, we take a rigorous, quantitative approach to trading on global markets, combining techniques from machine learning, distributed systems, programmable hardware, statistics, and applied mathematics. Our culture is steeped in the idea that we will never stop solving; we’re looking forward to supporting technically excellent PhD students who share our core values of intellectual curiosity and humility. Those awarded the Fellowship will receive:

Full tuition and fees covered for the upcoming academic year.

A $50,000 USD stipend (or the equivalent in your local currency) to help with living expenses while completing their PhD.

An invitation to visit our office to give a talk on any topic to Jane Street employees and other Fellowship recipients; all expenses paid.

Learn more about eligibility here. Student applications must be submitted by November 13, 2026.

APPLY

If you have questions about the Fellowship or you’re a faculty member who wishes to nominate a student, please contact [Javascript required]. If you have trouble viewing this email, you can view the web version here.

Meridian Cambridge - Cambridge AI Safety Hub

AI Safety Fellowship and Events at Cambridge (Apply by 18 October)

TL;DR: A 5-week AI safety reading programme to help students build careers in AI safety. Apply to the Alignment Fellowship by 12 noon on Sunday 18 October.

Keeping AI models safe and aligned may be one of the most important challenges of our time, and we believe some of the best thinkers on it are likely to come from the Department of Computer Science and Technology. The Cambridge AI Safety Hub introduces talented students and professionals to AI safety, connecting them with researchers working on the frontier of the field.

Alignment Fellowship - Apply by 18 October

A 5-week reading programme on AI safety with Technical and Governance tracks. Cohorts of ten to twelve meet once a week for a facilitated discussion followed by dinner, in colleges and other spaces in central Cambridge, from the week of 26 October to the week of 23 November. No prior AI safety background is needed. The application includes a short written response to one reading of your choice, and shortlisted applicants are invited to a brief async interview. Read more and apply here.

Opening Talk and Drinks - Thursday 15 October, 6:30pm (nearly full!)

In the Howard Theatre at Downing College, covering where AI progress has got to, the risks from developing powerful AI systems and what you can do about them. No prior background needed. Drinks follow in the Grace Howard Room until 9:30pm. Register here.

Apply-athon - Saturday 17 October, 11am to 2pm

Write your application alongside other people the day before applications close. There will be reading groups on each of the Fellowship readings and a quiet space to write, and we'll have lunch together. Register here.

Alignment Desk - Apply by 18 October

Weekly Saturday sessions for people who already have some background in AI safety and want to write about it. A small cohort works on their own projects, sets goals and holds each other accountable, with the aim of publishing three pieces over the term. Open to people based in Cambridge or London. Apply here.

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