Professor Michael Harrington
Professor Michael Harrington is the founder and guiding voice of the VMA Community. With a Princeton physics background and decades of institutional experience, he is known for a calm, risk-first mindset and a model-driven approach that emphasizes preparation, verification, and long-horizon decision discipline across changing market regimes.
Overview
Harrington’s perspective centers on discipline over drama: markets are uncertain, but decisions do not need to be. He emphasizes preparation instead of prediction—defining assumptions, controlling risk, and letting tested rules guide action when volatility rises.
- A Model-first clarity: convert ideas into measurable hypotheses and define limits before trading.
- B Risk controls by design: position sizing, drawdown rules, and monitoring triggers come before execution.
- C Review to improve: document decisions, evaluate process quality, and refine rules using evidence.
Trained in physics at Princeton, Harrington built a long Wall Street career across systematic investing and macro strategy. He has served in senior investment leadership and risk oversight roles at major funds, and later founded the VMA Community to promote structured, data-driven learning and disciplined decision habits.
Career
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Princeton Physics Foundations
Developed a rigorous quantitative mindset that later shaped his approach to systematic modeling and decision discipline.
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Early Quant System Architecture
Contributed to early institutional quantitative workflows, focusing on monitoring, testing standards, and repeatable execution rules.
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Senior Investment & Risk Leadership
Held senior roles spanning portfolio direction and risk control, with a reputation for calm decision-making during high-volatility periods.
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VMA Community Founder & Guiding Voice
Built the VMA Community to help investors learn structured, data-driven methods and strengthen long-term decision habits and risk awareness.