Andrés R. Vindas Meléndez

Andrés R. Vindas Meléndez is a Costa Rican-American mathematician currently serving as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College. Prior to this role, he held positions as a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow and Lecturer at UC Berkeley and as a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute (formerly MSRI). He is also a research scholar at the Institute for Computational and Experimental Research Mathematics (ICERM) for the Data Science & Social Justice program.

• Education: PhD in Mathematics from the University of Kentucky, MS in Mathematics from San Francisco State University, and BA in Mathematics from UC Berkeley with minors in Philosophy and Chicanx & Latinx Studies.

Vindas Meléndez focuses on algebraic, enumerative, and geometric combinatorics, with additional interests in data science for social justice and the scholarship of teaching and learning. His work includes Ehrhart theory, Catalan combinatorics, and polynomial properties like real-rootedness and gamma-positivity. He emphasizes quantitative justice and interdisciplinary applications of mathematics to address racial and social issues.

• Scientific Awards: National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow.

At Harvey Mudd, he fosters inclusive mathematical communities, aiming to dismantle systemic barriers in mathematical spaces. His affiliations with ICERM and SLMath highlight his engagement with programs focused on fairness and equity in data science.