Early Life and Education
Henry B. Laufer was born in 1945 to a Jewish family. He displayed a strong aptitude for mathematics from a young age. Laufer earned a Bachelor of Arts/Science from the City College of New York in 1964. He furthered his education by obtaining a Ph.D. in mathematics from Princeton University in 1965, studying under the guidance of Robert Gunning.
Career in Academia and Finance
After completing his doctorate, Laufer joined the faculty of Stony Brook University's Department of Mathematics in 1971. Over two decades, his research focused on complex variables and algebraic topology. He also published scholarly articles during his time in academia.
In 1988, Laufer co-founded the Medallion Fund with Jim Simons. This fund, which utilized mathematical models to analyze and execute trades, became one of the most successful hedge funds in history. Laufer left Stony Brook to join Renaissance Technologies in 1992. He served as the chief scientist and Vice President of Research until his retirement in 2009. During his tenure at Renaissance Technologies, Laufer played a pivotal role in the firm's trading strategies.
Philanthropy and Political Contributions
Post-retirement, Laufer has dedicated himself to philanthropy and political activism. In 2008, he and his wife, Marsha Zlatin Laufer, established the Louis and Beatrice Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology at Stony Brook University. The Laufers also contributed significantly to the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, which was renamed the Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute in their honor. Laufer has also made significant contributions to political campaigns, including donations to Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign.