Idris Stovall, Ph.D. is a civic-minded mathematician and proud Pittsburgh native who split time growing up between there and Harlem NYC. He graduated from Academic High School in Jersey City, earned his B.S. in mathematics from Hampton University, and earned his doctorate in computational methods for solving differential equations from the Department of Mathematics at the University of Massachusetts–Amherst. Dr. Stovall is the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from that department, and has dedicated his career to building innovative STEM partnerships and programs, teacher professional development, and training the next generation of mathematical scientists – particularly those that are underrepresented minorities.

Dr. Stovall has served as Director of the Moelis Access Science Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships. He has also served as Director of STEM Youth and School Programs and Mathematician at The Franklin Institute, a premier science center working with motivated youth from across the greater Philadelphia region. His work has included advising the curriculum and teacher professional development in the Educational Consortium for the Advancement of STEM in Egypt (ECASE) project, which earned him an invitation to the White House’s 1st Annual STEM Mentorship Symposium in 2015.

Dr. Stovall is Founder of the Mathematical Sciences Institute. MSI’s mission is to provide “plumbing for pipelines” through MS Innovations, Educator Professional Development, and Dissemination, Research, and Evaluation. MSI houses the Dudley Weldon Woodard Program for Excellence in the Mathematical Sciences, which was piloted in 2014. The goal of the Woodard Program is to create a talent pipeline from grade school to graduate school and beyond – ultimately to careers, innovation, and leadership in the mathematical sciences and related fields. Dr. Stovall is also a member of the Department of Mathematics at The University of Pennsylvania. Idris is a dedicated husband and father of two wonderful daughters who enjoys sports and music of all sorts.