Monica Delgado | Math Outreach | Department of Mathematics

Monica Delgado holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the Universidad de Guanajuato (Mexico) and an M.Sc. in applied mathematics from the University of British Columbia (Canada). Born and raised in Mexico, Monica relocated to Columbus in 2019 to assume a position at The Ohio State University as Associate Director of Buckeye Aha! Math Moments, the outreach branch of the Department of Mathematics. She has experience in math education and outreach and has worked extensively developing basic education content and textbooks in mathematics.

As part of the Hidden Figures project, Monica will lead the efforts to develop and promote educational materials to increase awareness of Black math history. This will be done through the design of lesson plans where math and social sciences intersect and the presentation of those to educators in Ohio via professional development sessions.

Monica’s motto is “share your love for math.” She believes that bringing the mathematicians and their research to the classrooms can help overcome math anxiety and inspire more careers in mathematics. Moreover, she thinks that highlighting the lives of mathematicians with diverse backgrounds is an important step in diversifying the field.

Monica loves her culture and tries to keep her people’s traditions while away from home. She also loves learning about other cultures and traditions around the world. She enjoys traveling at a slow pace, taking the time to appreciate the cultures of the places she visits.

Joshua Edmonds | Communication | Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Joshua Edmonds is a passionate creative and visual artist who specializes in video production and photography. Edmonds is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a BA in Media Arts and studies, and has over 10 years of experience in creative media.

Joshua is the Visual Media Specialist for the Hidden Figures project and is excited to showcase the stories of Ohio State’s Black mathematicians that have gone unseen for so long.

In his free time, you can find Joshua watching and having heated discussions about film, listening to a wide range of music from hip hop to electronic house music, strength training, or trying out new restaurants with his wife, Ranthony.

Ranthony A.C. Edmonds | Principal Investigator | Department of Mathematics

Ranthony A.C. Edmonds is an NSF MPS Ascending Postdoctoral Researcher at The Ohio State University in the Department of Mathematics. Her work focuses on problems at the intersection of algebraic topology, commutative algebra, data science, and social justice.

Dr. Edmonds is the Principal Investigator of the Hidden Figures Revealed project. She believes in the use of history as a tool to understand current inequities in mathematical communities. She is passionate about amplifying the mathematical stories of those from underrepresented backgrounds in the discipline.

When she is not doing mathematics, Ranthony spends her time strength training, tending to her many indoor plants, including her favorite bird of paradise plant Miles, and spending time with her husband Joshua and their black cat, Neon.

Elizabeth Newton | Communication | Battelle Center

Elizabeth K. Newton was named the director of Ohio State’s Battelle Center full-time in February 2017 and re-launched it to focus on developing students and innovating in science and engineering enterprises that have significant public policy considerations. She brings to the position years of experience developing and guiding strategy and doing business development and planning, strategic analysis and communication, partnership development, process design, and systems-thinking. Thanks to her work in high-tech industries like aerospace, defense, genomics, and software, she is experienced in navigating the distinctive cultures of the for-profit and non-profit sectors, academia, and government.

Dr. Newton is a physicist with degrees in government. She earned her bachelor’s degree in government from Cornell University as a Phi Beta Kappa, Cornell National Scholar, and Maryland Distinguished Scholar. She earned a certificate in international relations from l’lnstitut de Hautes Etudes Internationales, in Geneva, Switzerland and interned at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Her advanced degrees include a Master’s degree in political science from the University of California Berkeley, where she was a Congressional Jacob K. Javits Fellow, and master’s and doctoral degrees in solar astrophysics from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, where she was supported by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and NASA.

Ethan Rivera | Communication | Battelle Center

Ethan Rivera works at Ohio State’s Battelle Center for Science, Engineering, and Public Policy in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs as the Student Programming Lead. His work includes developing a strong community atmosphere and fostering learning experiences for students to learn professional skills and broader perspectives for tech heavy industries.

Ethan’s role on the Hidden Figures team involves student professional trainings as well as preparing marketing materials including social media and website development. His passion for this project comes from a desire to highlight the stories of those whose voices are often ignored or silenced. Storytelling is such a vital part of community building and is a necessary part of progress to a more equitable world.

In his free time, Ethan spends too much money on sneakers and plays volleyball.

Cathy Ryan | Communication | Department of English

Cathy Ryan (Department of English) has the privilege of working in STEM and multidisciplinary settings where academic and non-academic partners reach across traditional boundaries. She teaches storytelling, visual narrative, and writing.

Dr. Ryan (Co-I) made a commitment to the research study, Hidden Figures Revealed: Dynamic History and Narratives of Black Mathematicians at The Ohio State University, at its inception. She enjoys problem-solving, spending time with family, and partnering with the team on the project.

Jerolyn Barbee | Community Partner│National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center

Jerolyn Barbee is the assistant director of the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center (NAAMCC). The museum is a part of the Ohio History Connection statewide system of historic sites and museums. Jerolyn and the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center became a partner in this project to expand our efforts to document and share the stories of African American trailblazers.

Jerolyn manages the NAAMCC’s marketing and museum staff and activities (curatorial, programming). She has over 35 years of experience developing innovative community-based programs and service delivery coordination for foundation-funded and federal programs. A native of Memphis and parent of an adult son, Jerolyn’s hobbies include gardening, gourmet cooking, travel, and playing with her dog, Nia.

David Goldberg | Community Partner│National Math Alliance and Purdue University

David Goldberg grew up in several different communities, but considers himself  from Boston, where he graduated from Cambridge Rindge and Latin School in 1979.  He attended Reed College, Portland, OR.  and graduated with a BA in Mathematics in 1984.  After two years working as an actuarial administrator, he enrolled in the graduate program at University of Maryland, College Park in 1986.  He finished his PhD in 1991 under the direction of Rebecca Herb, and was fortunate to have several other mentors in graduate school, including Paul Sally (University of Chicago), Phil Kutzko (University of Iowa), and Freydoon Shahidi (Purdue University).  He has been at Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN,  since 1991, starting as a postdoctoral appointee (Research Assistant Professor), and accepting a tenure track position as an Assistant Professor there in 1994.

Dr. Goldberg was the Graduate Chair in the Purdue Mathematics Department from January 2013 through June 2019, and for many years before that actively participated on a faculty group within the department working to address issues of underrepresentation. He was a contributing author to four successful Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) grants, serving as co-Project Director on one and Project Director on another. Through some coincidence with his research interests, he became familiar with the National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in the Mathematical Science, more commonly known as the Math Alliance in 2007. He joined as a mentor in 2009. In 2014, he guided the creation of a Math Alliance Graduate Program Group in the Purdue Mathematics Department. He became the Executive Director of the Math Alliance in 2016, as it relocated its administrative home to Purdue. Under his leadership, the Alliance has grown in size and scope (nearly 1000 active student members). The Math Alliance received the 2017 Programs that Make a Difference Award from the American Mathematical Society.

Elizabeth Arend, Communication

Liz Arend is a fourth-year student at The Ohio State University earning a degree in the Integrated Major in Mathematics and English (IMME). As a communication fellow, she manages the blog site and creates digital narratives of events, individuals, and movements from research periods of the Hidden Figures Revealed case study. When she isn’t conducting research or studying for school, she enjoys doing anything crafty and exploring Columbus’ many metro parks. Liz is excited and honored to be one of the lucky students tasked with unearthing the stories of Ohio State’s Black mathematics alumni.

Jordan Carter, Communication

Jordan Carter is a fourth-year Honor’s Broadcast Journalism/Communications major at Central State University hailing from Dayton, Ohio. As a communication fellow, one of Jordan’s roles on the team has been to examine the integral relationship between HBCUs and The Ohio State University. He assists with visually presenting and archiving the project across multiple platforms, including video and graphic design. He aspires to work in media entertainment and sports communications upon graduation. He hosts a successful podcast and sports website and his interests include sports, media entertainment, real estate, and stocks. Jordan’s motivation for working on the Hidden Figures Revealed project is to embrace excellence through examinations of the lives of Ohio State’s Black mathematics graduates and showcase their work in society.

Imani McCormick, Communication

Imani McCormick is a third-year student at The Ohio State University pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a law and health focus. Drawing from her global experiences and multicultural background, Imani takes an intersectional approach to her academic studies and work as a communication fellow on the Hidden Figures Revealed project. Within the communication cohort, she constructs digital narratives of select Black mathematicians and relevant historical events and movements. She also designs digital marketing elements to extend the study’s reach beyond the campus community. Her curiosity and love for learning lean into her passion for exploring new cities, trying unique cuisines, starting the day with a good book, and challenging herself to continually pursue new hobbies. By bringing the hidden stories of Ohio State’s Black mathematicians to life, Imani hopes to inspire the next generation to make their mark in STEAM fields.

Devin Suttles, Communication

Devin Suttles is a second-year Mechanical Engineering major at The Ohio State University. As a communication fellow, his contributions include providing perspective to the data collection efforts as well as helping to bring to life the stories of the featured individuals on the Hidden Figures Revealed website. In his free time, he is a percussionist and recently discovered an interest in sampling sounds in the music composition studio. Devin says he was drawn to the research team because of his fascination in “pulling back the layers of human social behaviors and being able to tell stories of groundbreaking individuals who overcame adversity to inspire the future generations and especially those in the STEM field.”

Angela Li, Math Outreach

Angela Li is a third-year Computer Science and Mathematics major at The Ohio State University hailing from Columbus, Ohio. She serves as the community outreach coordinator for Ohio State’s Association of Computing Machinery, Women’s Chapter (ACM-W). She brings her passion for K-12 STEM outreach to the Hidden Figures Revealed project, where she helps create lesson plans relating to the work of featured Black mathematicians. She loves rock climbing, lifting, and drawing. She also enjoys scenic bike rides and doing math with friends. In the future, Angela aspires to continue with STEM outreach and to pursue a graduate degree in Mathematics.

Hannah McDavid, Math Outreach

Hannah McDavid is a third-year student majoring in Mathematics; Women’s, Gender, Sexuality studies; and Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability at The Ohio State University. As a math outreach fellow on the Hidden Figures Revealed project, she applies her talents to create and disseminate mathematics lesson plans designed to raise awareness among K-12 students and educators of Black math achievements. Hannah is passionate about educating youth on issues of inequity and hopes to enlighten generations to come on the once-hidden stories of the almost 200 Black mathematicians to graduate from the university.

Magdalene Adotey, Project Outreach

Magdalene Adotey is a first-year Medical Anthropology major at The Ohio State University. She is on the Pre-Med track with plans to become a pediatrician and one day open her own practice. As a project outreach fellow, she helps plan outreach events and subject interviews. She enjoys politics, math, and cultural learning. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, working out, and solving puzzles. Magdalene joined the Hidden Figures Revealed project because, in her words, “it is important to educate our community on the achievements of underrepresented groups that our youth can look up to.”

Toni Chinchar, Project Management

Toni Chinchar is a fourth-year student at The Ohio State University from Streetsboro, Ohio. She is majoring in Environmental Engineering and her goal is to help develop better technologies that increase access to safe drinking water in developing communities. Toni’s role on the team is project management which includes leading the student team meetings, keeping track of the team’s progress and calendar, and creating project reports. When she is not working or studying, she likes to spend her free time rock climbing, backpacking, and napping with her cat. Toni joined this project because she believes it is important to highlight the academic achievements of underrepresented groups in mathematics to inspire future generations of students.