Mathematician, and 2016 Ford Legendary Woman, Minerva Cordero, is a Professor of Mathematics and Senior Associate Dean in the College of Science at the University of Texas at Arlington. She is a renowned researcher in Finite Geometries and has presented her research at numerous national and international conferences. She describes her research as creating the building blocks necessary to develop secure encrypting mechanisms.
Her teaching career spans over 25 years, and her passion and excellence in the classroom have been recognized by several prestigious teaching awards. She is equally passionate about increasing the number of women and other underrepresented minorities in mathematics and science. In 2019 she was selected as an ambassador for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) IF/THEN Ambassadors Program. The Lyda Hill Philanthropies sponsor the IF/THEN Ambassadors program. Its goal is to recognize the contributions of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and help encourage young girls to pursue careers in STEM.
Cordero holds three degrees in mathematics: a doctorate (Ph.D.) from the University of Iowa, a Master of Arts from the University of California-Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Puerto Rico, her native land. She and her husband, who is also a mathematics professor, have two sons who also love mathematics!