RUMBA 2020-2021

The 2020 RUMBA Student Scholars

Karla Villa Estrella

Jose Covarrubias

I grew up in Half Moon Bay, CA. Currently live in the East Bay. Besides math and science, I'm also interested in history and politics. I like to exercise, and my favorite sport is soccer.

Garrett Kepler

My name is Garrett Kepler. I am from the Midwest. I moved to the Bay Area in 2017. I absolutely love reading and music. I have always been gifted with instruments. As for academia, I am currently attending Cal State East Bay majoring in Applied Mathematics and minoring in Physics. I am passionate about space research, theoretical math, and programming.

Laenie Mateo

I was born in Boston, Massachusetts. I moved to California when I was 6 years old. I have been doing martial arts for 10 years. I have also been super involved in the Filipino community by going to conferences, mentorships and I am even the Community and Public Affairs Chair here at East Bay for PASA.

Yvette Morales

I’m Yvette Morales. I’m a Biology major, and I grew up in the Bay Area. I love biology and chemistry as well as political science and law. If you don’t find me studying under a big tree on campus, you’ll find me watching my favorite show, Grey’s Anatomy, in the DISC or at a rehearsal in the theater for the next musical production I’m in. I also love spending time with friends and family, playing with animals, and watching sunsets.

Maria Palomino

Hi! My name is Maria Palomino! I am currently a third year at CSUEB majoring in Computer Science. I was born and raised in Ventura, which is a small beach town in southern California. The beach is my home and is a place I hold closely to my heart. Outside of school, I love learning about social justice, actively being a part of my community and participating in civic engagement. On my free time, I really enjoy practicing my skills for coding or on my electric guitar!

Quierra Shugart

Hi my name is Quierra, and I am a 3rd year Bio-Chemistry major. I am a pre-med student and hope to continue my education to medical school where I hope to become an OBGYN. I am from Southern California and moved to the Bay Area my freshman year of college. I have an odd love for math and the sciences, those have always been my favorite subjects. I love all forms of self-care, and I typically spend my free time with a homemade facial and iced coffee, very relaxing.

Malayika Zaffar

Malayika Zaffar, is a second year student at CSU East Bay, studying Computer Science and Statistics. She is a Bay Area native, and growing up in the Silicon Valley has gained her interest in mathematics and coding. During her free time, she enjoys cooking, baking, and creating digital pieces of art.

Jose Zaragoza

My name is Jose Zaragoza and I grew up in the central valley of California with farmland all around me. I am a student at CSU East Bay, and I am majoring in Computer Engineering. In my free time, I like to code in PYTHON and learn new things. My favorite movies to watch are the Captain America trilogy.

Program Director

Dr. Andrea Arauza Rivera She/Her/Hers

Dr. Andrea Arauza Rivera is the Director of the RUMBA project. She is in charge of the coordination of projects and organization of events related to the RUMBA project.

Dr. Arauza Rivera is a proud Chicana mathematician. She attended Modesto Junior College before transfering to Cal State Stanislaus where she completed a B.A. in Mathematics. She then enrolled in the PhD program at UC Riverside and completed the program in 2018. Her research is in functional analysis and fractal geometry. Dr. Arauza Rivera is commited to building a just, equitable, and inclusive environment in which students from all backgrounds can thrive.

Graduate Student Mentor

Matt McClinton

After graduating high school, I had no clue what I wanted to do. I had always liked my Mathematics courses, but never thought anything of it. During a lecture in Linear Algebra at my Community College, while answering a question, the professor stated, "there are no coincidences in Math, only higher levels of understanding". I was taken aback by such a claim, and it was in that early afternoon class that I knew without doubt: I will become a Mathematician. I started at East Bay as an undergraduate, with no intention of participating in a research project. Back in fall of 2019, I had approached Dr. Arauza Rivera about joining a research project, only to expose myself to Mathematics I was unfamiliar with. Little did I know that I would quickly fall in love with the world of research, and I have no intention of giving the stuff up. After completing my Master's Degree at East Bay, my goal is to pursue a PhD, and continue working in the field of Mathematics research.