Probability · Stochastic dynamics · Financial mathematics

Research

I study quantitative questions in stochastic dynamics and mathematical finance. My current work connects finite-time probability bounds, nonlinear partial differential equations, numerical experiments, and model validation against real data.

Research 01

Berry–Esseen Bounds for Periodic Langevin Dynamics

Working manuscript

How long must a periodic Langevin system be observed before its unwrapped displacement is accurately approximated by a Gaussian distribution? This project develops quantitative bounds for that finite-time error, with particular attention to the singular low-friction regime.

NSF-funded research · Award DMS-2246491

Analytical foundation. Measure-theoretic probability is used throughout this work, together with Lp moment estimates, conditional expectations, ergodic averages, and weak convergence arguments. These tools connect my independent study in measure theory directly to the Langevin research problem.

Core contribution · Proposition 11.1

The relaxation scale is γT

dK ( ℒ(YTγ) , 𝒩(0,σγ2) ) ≤ CγT .

Equivalently, the friction-dependent Berry–Esseen constant may be chosen so that Cγ ≤ C γ−12 .

In one dimension, I proved a Berry–Esseen estimate with a constant that explicitly tracks the friction parameter. The bound shows that the effective number of relaxation periods is γT, rather than the observation time T alone.

Proof architecture

  1. 01
    Sample at the relaxation scale. Partition the process into blocks of length comparable to γ-1 and form a discrete skeleton chain.
  2. 02
    Recover uniform mixing. Rescale the continuous-time semigroup estimate so the sampled chain has a spectral gap uniform in small γ.
  3. 03
    Control moments and variance. Establish a uniform fourth-moment bound for block-averaged velocity and use a one-dimensional diffusion lower bound to prevent variance degeneration.
  4. 04
    Apply a uniform Berry–Esseen theorem. The Markov-additive formulation then yields the C/√(γT) Kolmogorov-distance estimate.

Additional contributions

  • Developed the Berry–Esseen framework for the displacement problem.
  • Proved the projected overdamped result.
  • Developed the direct Markov-additive treatment of underdamped displacement.
  • Carried out the original numerical illustration and drafted Part I.

Project details

Topics
Markov additive processes, hypocoercivity, quantitative CLT
Metric
Kolmogorov distance
Setting
Periodic overdamped and underdamped Langevin dynamics
Mentor
Professor David P. Herzog

Research 02

Prediction, Model Risk, and Stochastic Sensitivity in Nonlinear MBS Pricing Models

Ongoing research

This project asks whether stochastic perturbations and nonlinear p-Laplacian diffusion can improve the predictive performance of an existing PDE model for mortgage-backed security prices.

How much predictive improvement do the proposed changes deliver when the model is evaluated against real market data?

Research trajectory

I initially proposed introducing stochastic noise into the pricing equation to study how market uncertainty affects model predictions. Through discussions with my advisor, the project expanded to include a p-Laplacian operator as a nonlinear diffusion mechanism. The resulting research program connects analytical foundations, empirical backtesting, and stochastic model-risk analysis.

Completed · Analytical foundation

Literature reconstruction

I organized papers provided by my advisor into technical sessions and presentations, reconstructing the main derivations rather than treating the models as black boxes.

  • Reduction of a nonlinear MBS pricing equation to a semilinear heat equation.
  • Lipschitz control of the nonlinear mapping.
  • Fixed-point proof of existence and uniqueness of weak solutions.
  • Derivation of a p-diffusion extension of the Black–Scholes operator.

Completed · Empirical investigation

Market backtesting and numerical analysis

I built an initial market-backtesting workflow using real transaction data, conducted numerical experiments, and examined the financial interpretation of the model in selected parameter regimes and special cases.

The central objective was to determine whether the stochastic and nonlinear extensions produced a measurable improvement over the original equation.

Initial empirical finding

An informative inconclusive result

The initial backtests did not yet yield a stable and economically interpretable improvement over the baseline model. Instead, they exposed important questions involving parameter identification, alignment between model outputs and transaction observations, and the separation of nonlinear-diffusion effects from other market mechanisms. These limitations now help define the next stage of the project.

Next stage: stochastic analysis

01

Mean-square sensitivity

Quantify how perturbations in model inputs and coefficients propagate through the pricing solution, using estimates of the form E||uε(t) − u0(t)||2.

02

Noise-driven simulation

Compare theoretical sensitivity estimates with numerical behavior across noise levels, nonlinear-diffusion parameters, and financially meaningful regimes.

03

Model risk and interpretation

Study whether nonlinear diffusion dampens or amplifies uncertainty, and identify which mechanisms are responsible for changes in predictive performance.

Financial perspective. The PDE analysis serves a pricing and model-risk question: prediction under uncertainty, sensitivity to assumptions, and economically interpretable behavior under changing market conditions.

Project details

Mentor
Professor Rana Parshad

Research 03

Random Matrix Theory and Quantum Expanders

ISmART research

This project studies operator-theoretic questions arising from Haar-distributed unitary matrices, with particular attention to non-normal behavior, commutator lower bounds, and finite-dimensional models related to quantum expanders.

Analytical focus

Haar unitaries and commutator bounds

I studied Haar-distributed unitary matrices, malnormal matrices, commutator lower bounds, and their relationship to quantum-expander constructions.

Computational contribution

Non-normal spectra and pseudospectra

I developed numerical experiments to investigate non-normal spectral behavior and pseudospectra, and produced a final technical note connecting the computations with the operator-theoretic questions.

Project details

Program
ISmART Research Project
Mentor
Dr. Jananan Arulseelan
Period
Spring 2026–Present
Methods
Random matrix simulation, spectral analysis, pseudospectra

Research materials

Working papers and technical notes

Manuscripts, derivation notes, and presentation materials are available upon request while the projects remain in progress.