Dr. Tapia persevered when faced with elitism in academia

Dr. Tapia recounts the barriers he faced when studying and teaching mathematics, with math being the least of his troubles.

Dr. Tapia is a mathematician and professor at Rice University where he also leads the Center for Excellence and Equity in Education. In 2011, Dr. Tapia received the National Medal of Science for his fundamental contributions in Optimization Theory and numerical analysis and for his lifelong efforts to foster diversity and excellence in mathematics and science education.

“An Evening With Richard Tapia” took place on March 20, 2019, at the University of Texas at Arlington. Dr. Minerva Cordero, a mathematics professor at UT Arlington and a program director at the National Science Foundation, moderated the conversation.

Thank you to our event sponsors, the National Science Foundation and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.