Dr. Alexander Diaz-Lopez is an award-winning teacher and math researcher currently working at Villanova University. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Alexander attended the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez and then moved to the University of Notre Dame to obtain his PhD in Mathematics. He has led several initiatives such as: co-founder of DREAMS and Lathisms, co-organizer of MAAGC conference, as well as being an active researcher with his undergraduate research group at Villanova. He was an editor for the most widely read higher math magazine in the world, Notices of the AMS, and currently writes for AMS PhD+Epsilon blog.

Dr. Rivera Quiñones is a newly minted Ph.D. in Mathematics and a Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellow. She received her B.S. in Mathematics with a Minor in Finance from the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras. She is an Mathematical Biologist with 5+ years of experience in interdisciplinary and computational projects in R, Python, and MATLAB with a passion for telling stories through numbers in various context such as data science, science communication, and education. Her research focuses on the intersection between ecology, disease modeling, and epidemiology. She also enjoys taking pictures, drawing, and bowling.

Dr. Shelby Wilson is an Applied Mathematician with scientific experience broadly described as being in the area of computational biology. She uses the techniques of parameter estimation, dynamical systems, network theory, and machine learning to create models of biological phenomenon (e.g. cancer growth, sleep dynamics, social organization). Her current research interests and expertise facilitate truly interdisciplinary collaborations spanning a number of subject areas including mathematics, computer science, physics, and biology.

Dr. Michael Young is an associate professor of mathematics at Iowa State University. His primary research area is Discrete Mathematics, particularly graph theory and combinatorics. Recently, he has had a focus on equity in the mathematics classroom. Most of this work has been through teacher professional development on creating inclusive mathematics learning spaces. He is responsible for establishing the Mathematicians of Color Alliance (MOCA). MOCA consists of the underrepresented graduate and undergraduate mathematics students and was created with the goals of recruiting, retention, and vertical mentoring. He is the co-creator of a new post-baccalaureate program at ISU designed to support underrepresented students as they prepare to enter PhD programs. He has served as an academic and personal mentor for many students from underrepresented groups both at ISU and nationally as they pursue their PhDs.