Haydee Lindo, assistant professor of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, sees her teaching as a vehicle for mentorship and science communication. Having recently been appointed to the National Association of Mathematicians (NAM) board\u00a0as editor in chief and chair of the Publications and Publicity Committee, Lindo is in position to influence a wider audience of mathematicians.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m trying really hard to design my courses to extend my mentorship and look out for students when they look like me and also when they don\u2019t,\u201d says Lindo, who joined the Department of Mathematics in 2020. She\u2019s a commutative algebraist with research interests in homological algebra and representation theory. \u201cHopefully, I\u2019ll find more ways to do that and become more effective over time.\u201d<\/p>\n
NAM is a nonprofit professional organization in the mathematical sciences that promotes excellence in the mathematical sciences and the mathematical development of underrepresented minorities.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow is a very exciting time for NAM,\u201d says Lindo. \u201cDr. Omayra Ortega just became president, and with any change in leadership comes new energy, new ideas, new directions. I think NAM will always pay respects to its roots, but it is also in the process of reimagining itself and how best to serve its\u00a0members, to expand the membership and to build\u00a0its place as one of the major mathematical professional societies.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lindo became affiliated with the organization in 2018 after being invited to give a presentation in NAM\u2019s Haynes-Granville-Brown Session of Presentations by Recent Doctoral Recipients at Joint Mathematics Meetings. \u201cAfter that, I ran into NAM folks at various conferences,\u201d she says. \u201cThey embraced me. Eventually Dr. Ortega recruited me to join the editorial board of the MAA-NAM Math Values Blog.\u201d During that time Lindo she wrote the article\u00a0Black and Excellent in Math<\/a>. Lindo now serves on the editorial board of the parent MAA Math Values Blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jon Jacobsen, mathematics department chair and Kenneth and Diana Jonsson Professor of Mathematics, says, \u201cThese roles demonstrate Haydee’s sustained commitment to issues of equity and diversity in the mathematical sciences and her visible leadership to the advancement of equitable practices in the profession, especially for all who experience underrepresentation in their mathematical journeys.\u201d<\/p>\n Interested in the growing field of science communication, Lindo credits her background in mathematics and political science (she holds undergraduate degrees in both) for strengthening her communication and writing skills as well as her interest in teaching.<\/p>\n \u201cAs the chair of publications and publicity,\u201d Lindo says, \u201cI get to be a part of shaping NAM’s voice. I’m excited about that, and I\u2019m eager to make sure that people find out about NAM much earlier in their careers.\u201d<\/p>\n