Our Team

Art of Problem Solving was founded by Richard Rusczyk in 2003 to create interactive educational opportunities for avid math students. Richard is the author or a co-author of 7 AoPS textbooks and a past Director of the USA Mathematical Talent Search. He was a participant in National MATHCOUNTS, a three-time participant in the Math Olympiad Summer Program, and a USA Mathematical Olympiad winner (1989). He received the World Federation of National Mathematics Competitions Paul Erdös Award in 2014. He graduated from Princeton University in 1993, and worked as a bond trader for D.E. Shaw & Company for four years. AoPS marks Richard's return to his vocation - educating motivated students.

In 2014, Glen founded a learning center in Morrisville, North Carolina, that two years later became the first AoPS Academy campus. Glen served as the National Director of AoPS Academy until his retirement in 2019. He has experience as a college math professor, statistician, and expert SAS programmer. He has been a professional math tutor for many years, and specializes in training academically-advanced and high-performing math students. Glen is a graduate of Duke University and holds a graduate degree in statistics from Boston University.

Matt holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from Harvey Mudd College and a master's degree in applied mathematics from Cornell University. Before coming to AoPS, Matt was a remote teacher and tutor, serving classrooms-in-need across the nation. He first heard of AoPS when he trained for the AMC and MAA Invitationals during his years as a mathete. Later as an educator, he grew to appreciate AoPS as the premier place to challenge and enrich his undergraduate students. Matt enjoys working with students to face challenges, overcome frustration, and grow as curious problem solvers. He hopes to create a community where individuals can experience and share their eureka moments with each other.

From showing her friends how to fold little origami animals to helping at her mother’s Chinese school, Sharon has always had a love for teaching. Sharon graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor's degree in earth and space science and is absolutely in love with space and space travel. Being able to teach the starry-eyed students at AoPS and wow them on how numbers and mathematical concepts translate into literal rocket science tickles both Sharon’s love for teaching and space. She is delighted to meet future scientists and innovators who may someday reach beyond the stars. Sharon encourages curiosity and doesn’t shame mistakes; her heuristic approach demonstrates to students that making mistakes is just a part of problem solving!

Haley pursued a bachelor's degree in English at the University of Washington and established a career there in higher education administration. She was drawn to AoPS by the opportunity to work within a smaller community, still based in education, and with a younger student population. Working with students is always an inspiration and a refreshing reminder to maintain curiosity and an open perspective when approaching any aspect of life.

Kathleen is a senior at Interlake High School and has worked previously at a coffee shop as a barista. What drew Kathleen to AoPS is the company's goal to positively influence the next generation of leaders. Similarly, Kathleen loves working with students as she wants to make an impact in the world, and the best way to do that is to help develop future leaders.

Michael studied Art and Design at Durham College in Canada and moved to the US in 2023. He was drawn to AoPS because he wanted to be a part of his local community and is looking forward to using his extensive customer service experience to help both parents and students. He is specifically eager to help the next generation grow and succeed.

Curran has an associates degree in behavioral science and is now studying for her bachelors. She loves seeing and interacting with kids from different types of cultures and backgrounds grow and learn.

After finishing degrees in mathematics and WGSS from Emory University, Lowell completed his master's in math at Western Washington University, where he worked as a student instructor. Lowell has a passion for math education and was drawn to AoPS for its mission of making math as fun for students as it is for him. Lowell loves when students can help teach and support each other and sees himself as a facilitator of this kind of collaboration.

Phillip is a graduate of the University of Washington's physics program, with years of experience as an operations management professional. He is currently completing his master in science education. Phillip joined AoPS for the chance to work with on interesting problems with highly engaged students. He has always loved teaching- he enjoys tracking down misunderstandings and barriers and working through them with students.

Vanessa is an award-winning fiction author and fan of word puzzles with an MFA in writing popular fiction from Seton Hill University. Her love of English drew her to tutor Shakespeare in high school where she realized she loved guiding eager learners; she has been tutoring and teaching ever since. Though she previously taught adults at writing conferences, the chance to be in the classroom with driven young students led her to AoPS. She believes the students at the academy are inspiring and ambitious. Their creative approaches to projects and willingness to explore new skills make teaching a joy. Vanessa is upbeat and engaging in the classroom, striving to keep the learning energy high. She feels material is best presented with enthusiasm.

Jeff holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign as well as a master’s in education. He has decades of professional experience applying mathematics to solve computer science and engineering problems at companies including Microsoft and Intel. He has a deep passion for applications of mathematics, particularly when combined with modern technology. He believes that mathematics is the key to most engineering problems. In the classroom, Jeff attempts to spark interest in students by connecting theory to application. He prefers open-ended problems where students participate in guided discovery and believes that a strong set of problem-solving skills is transformative to the development of young minds.

Jess recently graduated with his PhD in literature from the University of New Hampshire and he has an MFA in popular fiction from Stonecoast. He is a college professor, as well as a certificated K-8 teacher, with over twelve years of experience and he regularly publishes articles, reviews, and science fiction stories online. He began teaching at AoPS in the fall of '23 because he loves the wackiness that is middle school, and he is fascinated with the cyber-connected youth culture of today. His teaching style is a fusion of old and new, incorporating handwritten journal entries and traditional whiteboard work alongside emergent technologies such as free-to-use visual suites and applications powered by artificial intelligence.

Zak received his BS in physics from Northern Arizona University while facilitating adventure course programs high in the Arizona pine forests. He has taught high school math and university physics in both Arizona and Washington. For him, AoPS has delivered on its promise of providing highly-motivated students with an outstanding curriculum. Here, he believes, the students and teachers work together to discover and delight in the intellectual and creative joys of mathematics. Zak loves building a classroom where students can be themselves, share their passions, and investigate exactly that which excites them about math. He pledges to be patient, attentive, caring, and silly when required. He hopes you enjoy learning about math as much as he does.

After graduating from Central Washington University with a degree in teaching secondary mathematics in 2012, Robert has worked with various Monroe, Lake Stevens, and Snohomish School Districts as well as local tutoring and learning facilities. Throughout this time, he has taught several levels of math to a wide range of grade levels, developing extensive experience and expertise in the field. His love of teaching complex mathematical concepts and guiding students through problem-solving journeys naturally aligns with the Academy of Problem Solving's mission. He has a passion for making mathematics accessible and engaging, combined with his affinity for puzzles, brain teasers, and games, makes the Academy a perfect fit for teaching and other interests. Robert enjoys helping students understand and appreciate mathematics, whether it's basic arithmetic, fractions, decimals, or advanced topics like trigonometry and calculus. He finds joy in sharing neat tricks and strategies to dial down the difficulty of problems that look harder. The greatest reward comes from seeing students put their best work forward to make progress until they finally succeed in their mathematical endeavors. His teaching style is focused on being a facilitator who guides students through the labyrinth of math concepts. They emphasize understanding and application, helping students conquer problem-solving challenges and fostering a sense of accomplishment. They blend traditional instruction with engaging activities, such as puzzles and games, to make learning both effective and enjoyable.

Renae earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education, specializing in languages and the arts, from The University of Newcastle, Australia. With over 17 years of experience, she has taught students of all ages, from early elementary to senior secondary, across various cities worldwide, including most recently in Shanghai, China. Renae was drawn to AoPS because of its unique curriculum and emphasis on creativity and communication. One of her favorite aspects of working with students is the opportunity to learn together. By fostering a growth mindset and adopting a global perspective, she ensures her students are well-prepared to confidently tackle challenges and achieve their goals.

Dr. Peng holds a PhD in Biostatistics from Emory University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Fudan University. With extensive experience as a data scientist, he has worked at major tech firms including Microsoft, Amazon, Uber, and Airbnb. During high school, he won a first-class prize in the Chongqing Math Olympics in China. Dr. Peng was drawn to AoPS by the Beast Academy books. His oldest son was captivated by the book, and he was thoroughly impressed by how fun and engaging math education could be. It is fun to see how young minds perceive the world and incredibly fulfilling to witness their growth and development. Dr. Peng likes to engage with students, ensure their attention is fully captured during class, and encourage them to think deeply about problems from different angles.

Rosemary's passion for math started with contests in high school and took her to a bachelor's degree in math and a master's degree in computer science at the University of Chicago. She has taught college-level math and is a former Google software engineer. Art of Problem Solving was one of Rosemary's most important early resources for getting into math, and she's glad to be giving back now as an instructor. Sharing the excitement and beauty of a newly discovered solution is Rosemary's favorite part of being a teacher. Her goal in teaching is to give students the opportunity to practice the habits of mind that lead them to become effective, independent problem solvers.

Sarah Rassool graduated from the University of Washington with a Master's in Teaching. Her expertise is English Language Arts and focuses on a social justice pedagogy. She has taught High School ELA in the Seattle Unified School District during the Pandemic. Now, Sarah is teaching again at AoPS due to their brilliant program, community led environment, and insightful teachers and students. Sarah loves working with students because they too, teach her about new dynamics in the world with their ever growing minds, welcoming hearts, and leadership skills that tend to go unnoticed in society. She believes a classroom fully accepts a student with their complete potential. Sarah's teaching is student led, community based with an equitable lens.

Mr. Robertson has been teaching mathematics in the Seattle area for eighteen years. He is excited to join the AoPS team to help students obtain their educational goals. He enjoys the enthusiasm and energy of students as they discover new ideas. Mr. Robertson strongly believes in fostering curiosity and that mistakes are a crucial part of the learning process.

Anitha completed her master's in teaching from Northwest University, Kirkland and works as a substitute teacher at the neighboring school districts. She also has a master's in counseling psychology from India where she worked at the neurological center for 1.5 years. Anitha entered AoPS with more than six years of experience working with students from preschool to middle school. She was drawn to AoPS for its enriching curriculum that sets high expectations for students and sets them up for success. In the classroom, Anitha loves to facilitate student learning and provide continuous support for their progress. She understands students come from different learning backgrounds with various interests and learning styles. Anitha's teaching methodology helps students build confidence, grow their love for learning, and sharpen their math as well as language arts skills.

Himanee is a dedicated and enthusiastic mathematics educator. She holds a Bachelor of Science in mathematics alongside a bachelor’s degree in education from esteemed universities in India. With over 15 years of experience teaching both mathematics and science as a full-time instructor in India and the United States, she has honed her craft and passion for fostering a love of learning in students of all ages. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes not only mastering mathematical concepts but also nurturing a growth mindset and a problem-solving attitude in her students.

Christine earned her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, where she also minored in Religious Studies and Women and Gender Studies. She holds a WA State Secondary Teaching Credential in English with a focus on Reading. Christine taught English literature at a Catholic high school in Southern California, where she also served as the English Department Chair. She completed her Master's in Educational Leadership at California Lutheran University and earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the same institution in May 2023. Christine was originally drawn to AoPS because of how well the content is aligned with skills mastery and the support teachers/instructors would be given by the AoPS administrators. Christine's favorite part of working with students is seeing them grasp a new subject or concept. When students have that 'aha' moment, and begin to enjoy and connect with the material, she likes being able to facilitate that level of excitement and engagement with her students. After spending 10+ years in a classroom environment, Christine's teaching style has continued to evolve. She recognizes the importance of connecting and building a rapport with students to facilitate a deeper engagement and investment in the content. Christine recognizes the importance of classroom management so that all students can be successful, but also encourages group discussions and a learning environment that does not rely too heavily on direct instruction. The more students can engage with the content on their terms, the better.