SIAM News Blog
Awards and Recognition

Honoring Hispanic and Latin American Achievements in Mathematics

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15), SIAM is proud to highlight the contributions and accomplishments of Hispanic and Latin American mathematicians in our community. Throughout September and October, we invite you to explore the personal stories featured below and discover valuable resources and networks tailored for Hispanic and Latin American mathematicians.

Marilyn Vazquez

Dr. Marilyn Vazquez is an assistant professor of mathematics at Simpson College, located in Indianola, Iowa. She completed her bachelor of science in applied mathematics at California State University, Long Beach. Dr. Vazquez received her Ph.D. in mathematics from George Mason University, where she learned about SIAM and became an active member of the local student chapter. Her research has taken her through various branches of data science, but her expertise lies in data clustering and image segmentation. Most recently, Dr. Vazquez served as a mentor in the SIAM-Simons Undergraduate Summer Research program during the summer of 2024.

Watch the video below as Dr. Vazquez discusses her research and offers advice to early career professionals.

Joan Ponce

Dr. Joan Ponce is a Presidential Postdoctoral Scholar at the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences of Arizona State University (ASU). She obtained a B.Sc. in mathematics from the University of Florida and a Ph.D. from Purdue University under Zhilan Feng, funded by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

Dr. Ponce’s research lies at the intersection of mathematics and biology; she develops and analyzes mathematical models to enhance the understanding and prediction of disease dynamics. Her research interests include dynamical systems, bifurcation analysis, parameter estimation, and geospatial modeling, all of which are key in shaping public health policies. As a postdoctoral scholar at The Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles, Dr. Ponce focused on geospatial healthcare accessibility models. At ASU, she is working on modeling the sterile insect technique for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the Galapagos Islands and an invasive mosquito species in Ecuador's subtropical region.

During the summer of 2024, she had the opportunity to work with the Quantitative Research in the Life and Social Sciences program, which is dedicated to preparing undergraduate students—especially underrepresented minorities—for the demands of graduate-level research in applied mathematics.

As a product of committed mentors, Dr. Ponce is dedicated to paying it forward. Support for early-career researchers from underrepresented groups is critical to addressing inequality. While in graduate school, she worked with the National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in the Mathematical Sciences, helping to recruit graduate school applicants from historically underrepresented communities by attending the annual Field of Dreams Conference. She also participated in various fellowship panels, including the 2019 "Maximizing Opportunities" panel, as well as sessions organized by the Math Alliance at Joint Mathematics Meetings. Now, as a postdoc, Dr. Ponce continues this work by attending the SACNAS Graduate School Fair, where she assists students in making informed decisions about their graduate school options.

She was fortunate to be a part of the inaugural cohort of MGB-SIAM Early Career Fellows in 2022. This opportunity introduced her to a great community of applied mathematicians and has fostered valuable collaborations at SIAM Annual Meetings.

As an active SIAM member, Dr. Ponce has published research in SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics, which has been instrumental in sharing her work with a broader audience. Additionally, her experience presenting work at SIAM Annual Meetings has fostered many collaborations and interesting research directions. Currently, she serves on the SIAM Committee of Strategic Initiatives, where she excitedly collaborates with colleagues to develop new ideas to help shape the future of the SIAM community.

As advice to early-career professionals, Dr. Ponce encourages them to surround themselves with peers and colleagues that are mentally enriching. These connections will not only broaden their perspective but also spark new ideas and opportunities for collaboration. “Protect your time to think deeply about your research questions more than about the answers,” she emphasizes. “An important question makes it easier to remain motivated while working to solve it.”

Jorge Ramirez

Dr. Jorge Ramirez is an applied mathematician, educator, researcher, and proud SIAM member. He was born and raised in Medellín, Colombia, where he studied engineering and mathematics. In 2002, he moved to the United States to pursue graduate studies in mathematics at Oregon State University, after which he held the Richard S. Pierce Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Arizona. In 2009, Dr. Ramirez returned to Medellín and became a professor of mathematics at the National University of Colombia. In 2022, he joined the research staff in the Computer Science and Mathematics Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he currently conducts interdisciplinary research in the theory, modeling, and computation of stochastic processes applied to the natural, computer, and engineering sciences.

Watch the video below to learn more about Dr. Ramirez and his professional journey.

Iván Ojeda-Ruiz

Dr. Iván Ojeda-Ruiz is an associate professor of instruction in the Department of Mathematics at Texas State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree with a double major in mathematics and chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, and completed his Ph.D. at the University of Texas at Arlington in 2017, where he served as president of the SIAM student chapter. His research interests include image segmentation, clustering methods, and machine learning fairness.

Dr. Ojeda-Ruiz has been an active research mentor for many undergraduate students, which led to the creation of a SIAM student chapter at Texas State University in the fall of 2023. He has been a dedicated SIAM member for 13 years and is currently an MGB-SIAM Early Career Fellow and a SIAM Science Policy Fellow.

Watch the video below as Dr. Ojeda-Ruiz shares insights into his professional journey and research.

Resources

Below is a curated list of resources and networks tailored for Hispanic and Latin American mathematicians and early career professionals.