Welcome to my page!
I am a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Prescott, Arizona. My research interests lie in coding theory, error correcting codes, and information theory, as well as differential geometry and algebraic geometry. I also have interests in mathematics education and supporting women and other underrepresented groups in STEM. I teach a wide variety of undergraduate mathematics courses at ERAU, ranging from first-year Calculus to 4xx-level mathematics courses.

I currently serve as the Archivist of the Faculty Senate at ERAU Prescott, a Faculty Fellow of ERAU's Center for Teaching & Learning Excellence, and the Secretary of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) Southwestern Section. I was also a Co-director for the Arizona Women's Symposium in Mathematics from 2022-2024.

I received my Ph.D. in Mathematics at the University of Houston under the guidance of Dr. Gordon Heier after completing my doctoral dissertation in the field of complex differential geometry. 

Contact Information:

• Office: AC1 (Building 74), Room 219 (Click here for a campus map.)

• Office Hours (Fall 2025): MWF 11:30am-12:30pm, Tu 10-11am, Th 2-4pm, and by appointment

• Email: alvara44 [at] erau [dot] edu

• Office Phone: 928-777-3447

• Postal Address:  Department of Mathematics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 3700 Willow Creek Rd., Prescott, AZ 86301

Fall 2024 - Fall 2025 Plans and Activities:

• September 20-21, 2024: The 2024 Arizona Women's Symposium in Mathematics, Northern Arizona University - Organizer and Co-Director

• October 7-9, 2024: SIAM Quantum Intersections Convening, Tysons, VA - Workshop participant

• January 8-11, 2025: 2025 Joint Mathematics Meeting,  Seattle, WA - Speaker

• March 8-9, 2025: 2025 AMS Spring Southeastern Sectional Meeting, Clemson University - Speaker

• June 9-13, 2025: AIM’s SQuaREs Research Program, American Institute of Mathematics, Pasadena, CA - Visiting Researcher

• June 16-20, 2025: Collaborate@ICERM, Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics, Providence, RI - Visiting Researcher

• June 25-28, 2025: Research Collaboration Visit at Pomona College

• July 21-25, 2025: Mathematical Congress of the Americas 2025, Miami, FL - Speaker

• [October 3-5, 2025]: 2025 AMS Fall Southeastern Sectional Meeting, Tulane University - Speaker 
  
  

My research is partially funded by the following:

• Mathematical Congress of the Americas (MCA) 2025 Travel Grant (funded by NSF Award #2420393 to the AMS)

• AMS-Simons Research Enhancement Grants for Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Faculty Grant, PI (2023 - 2026)

• ERAU Faculty Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST) Grant, Co-PI (2023 - 2024)

My service to the mathematical community is partially funded by the following:

• MAA Tensor Women and Mathematics Grant, Co-PI (2022-2023, 2023-2024, 2024-2025)