Rutgers Scarlet Student Managed Fund held its first annual conference at Rutgers University Inn and Conference Center on Friday, April 24th, and Saturday, April 25th. The conference was a fast-paced, high-density event that brought together top executives, macroeconomists, and fund managers. The theme of the conference was “The Resilience Pivot”.
Scarlet Fund Students organized and led panel discussions of a select group of thought leaders for a 'Davos-style' exchange. The goal was to provide the $1M+ Scarlet Student Fund with a strategic roadmap for 2026 and beyond, while offering everyone (students, alums, and employers) a platform to engage with the top 1% of our university's finance talent.
Conference Photo Gallery
Scarlet Student Fund Advisors
Faculty Instructor
Professor Rose Liao, Ph.D.
Finance and Economics
Rutgers Business School
Distinguished Executive-in-Residence
Dan Davidowitz, MBA, CFA
Portfolio Manager and Analyst
Polen Capital
Conference Agenda
"The Resilience Pivot"
Friday, April 24, 2026 - Saturday, April 25, 2026
| Friday, April 24, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| 5:30 – 6:00 PM | Welcome Reception and Networking |
| 6:00 – 8:00 PM | Group Dinner |
| Saturday, April 25, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| 8:30 – 8:50 AM | Registration |
| 8:50 –9:00 AM | Welcome and Opening Remarks
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| 9:00 – 9:45 AM | Macroeconomic Outlook This session explores how macroeconomic and geopolitical considerations shape finance and investment. We’ll discuss how widening gap between the “West” and “Middle Powers”, tariffs uncertainty, trade restrictions, new rate environment, and heightened uncertainty are reshaping capital allocation and investment. Moderator: Eric Nieves, PM and Research Analyst · Scarlet Student Fund Speakers:
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| 9:45 am – 10:30 am | Moving Beyond the AI Hype This session examines the future of asset management industry from investment process to talent building in the age of AI. We’ll analyze productivity gains that could be achieved with AI-driven efficiencies, companies and sectors that are well suited to embed AI into workflows, as well as the bottlenecks and concerns on the AI hype. Moderator: Alex Gaeta, PM and Research Analyst · Scarlet Student Fund Speakers:
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| 10:30 am – 11:15 am | Networking Break |
| 11:15 am – 12:00 pm | The “Dialogue”: Scarlet Fund's Differentiated Strategy and Portfolio Performance This session invites selected portfolio managers and analysts of Scarlet Fund to provide an overview of the fund activity, process, strategy, and performance. We will discuss specific investment theses, how we position the broader themes in our portfolio and highlight the connection between academic theory, institutional practice, and our differentiated strategy. Moderator: Rose Liao, PhD., Faculty Advisor Scarlet Fund
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| 12:00 pm – 12:15 pm | Closing Remarks
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