Talithia Williams facts for kids

Talithia D. Williams is an American statistician and a math professor. She works at Harvey Mudd College, where she studies how data changes over time and space. Dr. Williams made history as the first African American woman to earn a permanent teaching position, called tenure, at Harvey Mudd College. She strongly encourages more African Americans to get involved in engineering and science.

Early Life and Education

Talithia D. Williams was born in Columbus, Georgia. She went to Columbus High School. There, she really started to love math and science. She even took part in challenging math competitions and did very well.

College and Beyond

Dr. Williams first attended Spelman College. She earned her bachelor's degree in mathematics with a minor in physics. During her summers, she worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This was a great experience, and she was mentored by the late Claudia Alexander.

After Spelman, she went to Howard University for her master's degree in mathematics. She also joined the EDGE Foundation program. This program helps people of color get their Ph.D.s in math. Later, Dr. Williams earned her Ph.D. in Statistics from Rice University.

Career and Research

Dr. Williams has worked at some amazing places. These include the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the National Security Agency (NSA), and NASA. Today, she is a math professor at Harvey Mudd College. She also helps lead research and hands-on learning there.

She is very active in groups like the EDGE Foundation, the MAA, and SACNAS. Dr. Williams works hard to show people that math is exciting and important. She wants to change the idea that math is boring or only for men. She believes math is a key part of our country's future.

Understanding Data

Dr. Williams creates special math models to understand data that changes over time and in different places. For example, she worked with the World Health Organization. They developed a model to predict how many cataract surgeries are needed in African countries.

Sharing Knowledge

Dr. Williams has hosted two PBS TV series. She was a host for "NOVA Wonders" in 2018 and "NOVA Universe Revealed" in 2021. She also wrote a book called Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics in 2018.

TED Talk

In 2014, Dr. Williams gave a very popular TED talk. It was called "Own Your Body's Data." In her talk, she explained why collecting data is so important. She shared a personal story about her third pregnancy. Doctors suggested she be induced, but she and her husband asked for more information. By looking at all the data, they decided not to be induced. She used this and other examples to show how knowing your data helps you make smart choices. She encouraged everyone to use data to take charge of their own health.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Williams has received many awards for her work.

• In 2015, she won the MAA Henry L. Alder Award. This award is for excellent teaching by a new math professor.
• In 2017, she was chosen to be the AWM/MAA Falconer Lecturer at MathFest. Her talk was titled "Not So Hidden Figures: Unveiling Mathematical Talent."
• She was also recognized by Mathematically Gifted & Black in 2017 for Black History Month.
• In 2022, she received the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics Communication Award. This was for sharing math and statistics with millions of people through her TV shows, talks, and book.