Cristina Villalobos

Affiliation

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Biography

Dr. Cristina Villalobos is the Myles and Sylvia Aaronson Endowed Professor in the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Additionally, she is Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Institutional Effectiveness in the College of Sciences and is the Founding Director of the Center of Excellence in STEM Education, which provides resources for the academic and professional development of faculty and students, especially increasing the numbers of underrepresented students attaining STEM degrees. Her research areas lie in optimization, optimal control, and STEM education. Dr. Villalobos served as Interim Director of the Mathematics school from 2015-2017 transitioning the school through the first two years of UTRGV and increasing the numbers of Latino and women faculty. Her recognitions at the national level for mentoring and STEM leadership can be summarized with the 2020 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. She is also a recipient of the UT System Board of Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award, SACNAS Distinguished Undergraduate Institution Mentor Award, and the Richard A. Tapia Achievement Award for Scientific Scholarship, Civic Science, and Diversifying Computing. In 2023, she was elected Fellow of the American Mathematical Society; she is also a Ford Foundation Fellow and Sloan Fellow. Dr. Villalobos was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, is a first-generation college graduate, and received her B.S in Mathematics from UT-Austin and her Ph.D. in Computational and Applied Mathematics from Rice University.