thorp received his ph.d. in mathematics from the university of california, los angeles in 1958, and worked at m.i.t. from 1959 to 1961. he was a professor of mathematics from 19611965 at new mexico state university, and then joined the university of california, irvine where he was a professor of mathematics from 1965 to 1977 and a professor of mathematics and finance from 1977 to 1982.