Our Team

Alister is somebody who believes that knowing nature is a valuable experience for everyone of all ages. This stems from his own desire to know nature — whether it be collecting seashells off the beach or growing diamonds in a university lab. After completing a master's degree in Physics, he went on to help kick off a research project where his team made magnetic sensors out of a nifty combination of diamonds, lasers, microwaves, and other stuff. Since then, he has pivoted to education, seeking to lead experiences where people get to know nature firsthand. Math is inextricably tied up with this, and he currently tutors high school students in both mathematics and physics. When he is not doing this, he plays the violin, takes short catnaps (9 minutes long, to be exact), and plays basketball with his brothers.

Avital is a life-long mathematician, software engineer, and math educator. From a very young age he has been enthralled with the mysteries of mathematics, and how to share that deep experience with everyone around him. After completing a masters degree at age 19 doing research in finite group theory, he shifted focus into software engineering, working as an early engineer at multiple start-up companies. In parallel, he founded The School of Mathematics in Brooklyn, where adults from all background met for Socratic discussions leading to mathematical discoveries. He currently lives in Amsterdam with his three children, and works as a machine learning researcher at Google. He currently leads on-line math discussions and helps with technical infrastructure for Global Math Circle. He believes that intimate on-line discussion groups can be an engine for exposing millions of people to the depths of the mathematical experience that's alive in each and every mind.

Dani begins with this belief: The best mathematicians are children. Their creativity and imagination leave them open to new approaches and the discovery of wonder! Based in Brasilia, Brazil, Dani teaches coding and math in elementary school. Her passion for mathematics, physics, and teaching led her to the Brazilian Math Circle. As a result, she not only leads circles in public schools, but also trains Brazilian teachers to lead math circles. While she plans to return to university to study mathematics, she still finds time to swim, solve mathematical puzzles, and practice jiu-jitsu.

Daniel is studying mathematics at Bard College. He has done research on the card game Quads, as well as on discrete geometry, and has been tutoring college-level math for several years. His other academic interests include physics and computer science. In his free time he enjoys playing music and singing, as well as running and biking. He has also been a competitive Rubik's Cube solver since he was in middle school.

Hilary is curious about the how and the why in math and in life. A teacher of mathematics among other subjects for a dozen or so years, they always want to get to the root of how people think about a question as much if not more than what the ultimate answer is — the discovery, exploration, and thinking together are always the most fun! Their philosophy is that people of any age and any background can understand even the most complex concepts when given the opportunity to experiment with the right guidance. One of their favorite parts of getting to think about math with new people is to learn new approaches and see different perspectives. Outside of math and teaching related activities, Hilary could be found enjoying a hike by the river or in the woods, making up ridiculous songs to narrate their life, or reading a good book or comic.

Michael enjoys both solving problems, learning new things, and exploring, in all aspects of life. Combine this with the understanding that supporting better ways to engage children in learning and understanding and being excited about math, and Michael is excited to be part of Global Math Circle. Michael’s background includes an engineering degree combined with decades of experience managing engineering projects and people working to find the best—not the only—solution to many problems. Michael’s other experiences and interests include startup businesses, community activities, making music, traveling, hiking, cycling, triathlons, landscaping, and home remodeling.

Michael is an EdTech professional with a background in Mathematics and IT. He is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Edutab Africa. As an educator, he is passionate about working with kids and Math in unlocking their interest in discovering the mysteries in Math. Through his expertise in Instructional Design, Michael has designed and developed face-to-face and e-learning resources and courses for learning institutions in Africa and beyond. He is also a Columbia University Fablern Fellow, working to create more opportunities for learners through maker spaces in community learning centers in the Western Kenya region. At Edutab Africa, his current work includes coordinating and overseeing various educational initiatives and projects.

Peter’s fascination with math began in college, where he used it to reveal patterns in economics and industrial engineering, turning confusion into clarity. Its precise, creative language has enchanted him ever since. After more than three decades applying math in all aspects of an aluminum foundry, from engineering to finance to sales, he spent fourteen years teaching high school: algebra, geometry, statistics.... He enjoyed connecting with students, learning their enthusiasms, and finding the right “If you like that, you’ll love this” moment for each of them. He believes in learning through collaboration and discovery—a spirit he brings to the Global Math Circle. Now retired from full-time work, he uses math to find a path through our frustrating, nonsensical world. He also loves getting lost in long novels, mapping mental trails as he hikes the woods, predicting plot twists while watching movies, and listening to music—searching for the next intriguing pattern.

Rishi is a board member for The Global Math Circle, and was instrumental in bringing our program into the 21st century. He has a degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Texas at Austin, is the managing partner of SF Value Capital, founded in 2018, and is a software engineer at Google.

Sam is adventurous and likes to seek challenge both mentally and physically. He has been sharing his infectious sense of curiosity with students in a one-on-one setting for years, and is excited to have the opportunity to share it with a larger group of students through math circles. He is currently a math major at Carleton College, with interests in cognitive science and computer science. He has done research into mathematical modeling of fly neurons, as well as work on optimizing classical programs to run on floating point computers. (If any of this sounds interesting, he is always happy to discuss his research!) Sam also spends a lot of time outside, running, climbing, and skiing whenever he can get the chance. When he is stuck indoors, he loves to play board games with his friends.

Steve’s lifelong dream is to share the joy of mathematical discovery with children, though the path to get there wasn’t linear. He earned his PhD in Computer Science from MIT and contributed to early supercomputing at Thinking Machines before advancing parallel computing research at Sun Microsystems. He then led research labs before pivoting to education, becoming the math curriculum developer and lead instructor at Einstein's Workshop, and later a volunteer facilitator and trainer at the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival. Steve is passionate about teaching math through interactive games and puzzles, aiming to combine fun with learning while introducing abstract concepts to students.

Taylor is a graduate of Carleton College, where he received a B.A. in Mathematics, and has been leading math circles for over 5 years. He is a life-long lover of learning, and his interests range from language and religious studies to music and folk dance. He was lucky enough to have the math circle play a major role in his math learning as a young homeschooler, and he is delighted to have the chance to pass forward his excitement for the subject through math circles. He currently lives in the U.S., in Cambridge, MA.

Uri has always been fascinated by mathematical discovery and still vividly remembers the thrill and excitement of uncovering mathematical proofs during his younger years. Throughout his career, Uri has been focusing on using data analytics and building processes and tools to optimize and scale operations at companies such as McKinsey & Company, WeWork and Santa (a tech startup). Uri holds a B.A. in Economics and Psychology from Tel Aviv University and a Masters in Business Administration from New York University. In his free time Uri enjoys bouldering, snowboarding, solving brain teasers, DJing and composing music.

Vatsala distinctly remembers a moment in college when a confounding theorem suddenly made sense, and made her wish she could give the lines on that page a hug! She realised the deep joy that discovery and collaboration bring to the process of learning, and hopes to contribute towards many such moments for children at the Global Math Circle. With a B.A. in Mathematics from St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, India, and a post-graduate degree in Management studies from the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad (India), she has over eight years of experience in diverse fields like media, education and interior and product design. She has two little girls and lives in Kolkata, India. When not with her family, she finds time to read, run and play Scrabble.

Wyatt's love of math was unlocked for the first time when he tagged along with his brother to a laid-back homeschool MATHCOUNTS team practice in 6th grade, and realized that learning the subject can be a joyful, freedom-filled, collaborative, and low-pressure experience. His passion for math soon led to tutoring, mentoring younger students at his local middle school math circle, becoming active in the Albany Area Math Circle, participating at national competitions, earning top 3 scores in New York on the AMC exams, and helping run the Stanford Math Tournament in college, where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering and mechatronics. There are few things Wyatt loves more than passing on the joy of learning and discovery to others, and he spends his time tutoring and mentoring youngsters in STEM and writing from his home in Cleveland, Ohio. When he's not teaching, he's volunteering at the local bike co-op, learning woodworking, and working on open-hardware sustainable engineering projects.