Carlos Castillo-Chavez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carlos Castillo-Chavez
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| Born | March 29, 1952 |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin–Madison (PhD) University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point (B.A.) |
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| Doctoral advisor | Fred Guenther Brauer |
| Doctoral students | Gerardo Chowell |
Carlos Castillo-Chavez (born March 29, 1952) is a Mexican-American mathematician. He was a special professor at Arizona State University and also worked at Brown University. He is known for using mathematics to understand how diseases spread.
Contents
Biography
Carlos Castillo-Chavez moved to the United States from Mexico in 1974 when he was 22. He worked in a cheese factory in Wisconsin to support himself. Later, he went back to school at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. He earned degrees in math and Spanish literature in 1976.
He continued his studies, getting a master's degree in math from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Then, he earned his Ph.D. (a high-level degree) in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1984. Before joining Arizona State University in 2004, he taught for 18 years at Cornell University.
Carlos Castillo-Chavez wrote many scientific articles and books. He also helped lead important groups like the National Science Foundation. From 2016 to 2018, he was the leader of Yachay Tech University in Ecuador.
His main research area is called mathematical epidemiology. This means he uses math to study how diseases spread. He also looks at how to stop them from spreading and how to get rid of them. In 2006, Arizona State University said he was one of the top mathematicians in the country. He was an expert in using math to model how diseases progress.
He helped many students earn their Ph.D. degrees. This included many women and students from groups not often seen in math. He also mentored over 500 college students. Many of these students were part of the Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute (MTBI) that he started. Carlos Castillo-Chavez is known for inspiring students to become mentors themselves. He helped many students from diverse backgrounds succeed in math and biology. He is the only Latino mathematician listed among the top Ph.D. advisors.
He retired from Arizona State University in 2020.
Research
Carlos Castillo-Chavez has written over 560 articles and a dozen books. His research connects math with natural and social sciences. He focused on:
- How social changes affect how diseases spread and are controlled.
- How things like the environment and human behavior affect diseases, including addiction.
He and his team created math models to study how ideas spread. For example, they looked at how information spreads through media. They also studied how behavior and movement affect new and returning diseases. This included diseases like Ebola, influenza, tuberculosis, and Zika virus.
Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute
The Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute (MTBI) was started by Carlos Castillo-Chavez in 1996. It began at Cornell University and moved to Arizona State University in 2004. This program is now called the Quantitative Research in the Life and Social Sciences Program (QRLSSP).
QRLSSP/MTBI is a special summer program. It helps college students get ready for advanced research. Students learn how to use math and statistics to study life and social sciences. Selected students come to Arizona State University for eight weeks. They take classes on research methods and work on hands-on research projects.
Many students have joined QRLSSP/MTBI. A large number of them are from groups that are often underrepresented in science. Many of these students have gone on to graduate school. Many have also earned their Ph.D. degrees.
Carlos Castillo-Chavez also directed the Joaquin Bustoz Math-Science Honors Program (JBMSHP). This is a summer program for high school students. It helps students who are interested in careers that use math, science, or engineering. Many students in this program are the first in their families to go to college. They also come from diverse backgrounds across Arizona.
Students in JBMSHP live on the Arizona State University campus. They take a college-level math course for credit. They also work in groups on math research projects. These projects use real-life math problems. Students share what they learn through presentations and posters. The program covers tuition, housing, books, and other costs for the students.
Since 1985, over 2,800 students have joined JBMSHP. More than half of the students have been female. Many students from Hispanic, Native American, Asian, Caucasian, and African American backgrounds have participated. Some students attend the program for multiple summers. This allows them to earn many college credits before starting college as freshmen.
Simon A. Levin Mathematical, Computational and Modeling Sciences Center
The Applied Mathematics for the Life and Social Sciences (AMLSS) program helps students learn how to use math. It teaches them to understand complex topics in science, life, and social studies. The goal is to help students think critically and use math skills. They also learn how math helps in science, engineering, business, and economics.
The Levin Center works on many different science areas. It uses math, modeling, statistics, and simulations. The center is named after Simon A. Levin, a famous professor at Princeton University. Research areas include public health, infectious diseases, and how humans interact with the environment.
Carlos Castillo-Chavez started the Applied Mathematics in the Life and Social Sciences degree programs in 2008. The Ph.D. program at Arizona State University aims to train new scientists. These scientists will understand global issues and be skilled in math and research methods. Graduates are prepared for jobs in areas like public health and disease study.
Awards and recognition
Carlos Castillo-Chavez has received many important awards:
- Three White House Awards (1992, 1997, and 2011). His MTBI program received the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. This award recognizes great work in helping students in science and math.
- The 12th American Mathematical Society Distinguished Public Service Award in 2010.
- The 2007 Mentor Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
- He was a member of the Board of Higher Education at the National Academy of Sciences. He also served on President Barack Obama's Committee on the National Medal of Science.
- He is a Fellow of several important groups, including the American Mathematical Society.
- He has been an honorary professor at universities in China, Argentina, and the United States.
- In 2016, a math modeling center in El Salvador was named the Centro de Modelaje Matemático Carlos Castillo-Chavez.
- He received the William Yslas Velez Outstanding STEM Award in 2015.
- In 2017, he gave a special lecture at Brown University called "The Role of Contagion in the Building and Sustainability of Communities."
Appointments
Primary
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change
- Global Institute of Sustainability, Distinguished Sustainability Scientist
- Founding Director Simon A. Levin Mathematical, Computational & Modeling Sciences Center
- ASU-SFI Center for Biosocial Complex Systems
- Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology
External
- Santa Fe Institute, External Faculty Member
- Biological Statistics and Computational Biology, Cornell University - Adjunct Faculty
Images for kids
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Carlos Castillo-Chavez
See also
In Spanish: Carlos Castillo-Chavez para niños
