Robert Cordwell

Robert Cordwell (LinkedIn: discordwell) is a San Francisco-based engineer and data scientist. Per his LinkedIn-derived index record he is currently a Forward Deployed Engineer at Totogi (2025-), after four years as Lead Quant at Moda Fund (2021-2025) and six years founding Signal Data Science (2015-2021), the intensive data-science training program he co-founded with Jonah Sinick. Earlier roles include Data Scientist at Facebook (2015-2016), Analyst at GSN/TV & Games (2014-2015), Quantitative Analyst at Eclipse Trading Technologies (2013), and co-founder of Tutonic (2012-2013). He is listed as a 2005 US International Mathematical Olympiad team member. This biography is largely index-derived; see notes for source-by-source provenance.

Notes8

• Quant employment verification: CONFIRMED. LinkedIn-derived index record for linkedin.com/in/discordwell lists an actual past role as Lead Quant at Moda Fund (2021-2025, 4 yrs) plus a 2013 role as Quantitative Analyst at Eclipse Trading Technologies ('used statistical tools in R and Python to optimize a high-frequency algorithm trading derivatives'). Employer classification: Eclipse Trading Technologies (eclipsett.com) is a genuine proprietary trading firm - its own site describes a 'scalable, research-oriented approach to trading' across 'a multitude of asset classes' - i.e. actual quantitative/prop trading, not a name coincidence. Moda Fund (modafund.io) is a research firm / crypto fund ('Beaten by the market, in the end.'). Identity is supported by a self-authored public web presence (discordwell.com credit, Less Wrong posts) and multiple corroborating profiles.2025
• Co-founded Signal Data Science in December 2015 with Jonah Sinick and announced it on Less Wrong; the intensive data-science training program ran cohorts (first concluded early 2016, next planned Berkeley May 2 - June 24). Corroborates the LinkedIn 'Founder 2015-2021' role via an independent primary source.Apr 9, 2016
• Eclipse Trading Technologies describes itself as taking 'a scalable, research-oriented approach to trading' with 'world class trading systems and strategies across a multitude of asset classes' - confirms the 2013 employer operates in quantitative/prop trading, satisfying the 'does the employer actually do quant finance' check for that role.2016
• Current role (index-only): Forward Deployed Engineer at Totogi (totogi.com), Austin, TX, listed as current from 2025; index last_active 2026-08-06. Totogi is a telecom/BSS software vendor, not a quant firm.2025
• Listed as a member of the 2005 United States International Mathematical Olympiad team (IMO 2005).2005
• Owns/produces discordwell.com, a personal site described as 'a homepage that rotates through 20 themed worlds' (mall, video store, coin pusher, treasure dig, beer physics) credited to 'Robert Cordwell'; indicates ongoing independent creative/JS side-project work.2026
• Signal Data Science positioned itself for 'scholars, madmen, and effective altruists' and was announced to the Less Wrong / effective-altruism community; its public contact was [contact omitted]. Shows the program's EA-community orientation rather than a conventional bootcamp market.Dec 2015
• Education listed (index-only, no dates/degrees): Caltech, Texas Christian University, The University of New Mexico. A 411.com directory snapshot also places a 'Robert T Cordwell, Age 30s, Menlo Park, CA', consistent with the SF Bay Area location.
• Index-listed locations/roles: Facebook Data Scientist (Menlo Park, 2015-2016) and GSN TV & Games Analyst (SF Bay Area, 2014-2015) precede the Signal Data Science founding, giving a data/analytics run before the shift into running a training program and later a quant fund role.
• GitHub account github.com/discordwell exists under the same handle used across platforms; identity not independently corroborated in this pass, so the GitHub URL is recorded as an unverified namesake-risk lead.