Introducing the 2023-24 IMD Fellows
We are excited to welcome Gabrielle Mackiewicz ’24, Janaki Kapadia ’27, Leah Valentiner ’26, and Cammy Zhou ’26 as our 2023-2024 IMD Fellows. With focuses across many fields of study, from political science and economics to mathematics and philosophy, these Wellesley students will learn about the mathematical underpinning of democratic processes such as voting, apportionment, districting, gerrymandering, and quantification of power. The Fellows will explore the mathematics of politics, present at IMD events, and conduct research. Learn more about our amazing fellows below:
Gabrielle Mackiewicz is a member of the Wellesley College class of 2024 and is from New Jersey. They are majoring in mathematics and political science. They are interested in the intersection between math and politics, especially the use of data to facilitate social change.
Janaki Kapadia is a first-year at Wellesley College and plans to major in Political Science and Mathematics. She is interested in the intersection of mathematics and social policy and understanding how mathematical modeling can help better economic and government policy. She is excited to be part of the IMD program and further investigate the mathematical ideas behind how democracies organize as well as how math can be used to make these systems more just.
Leah Valentiner is a sophomore at Wellesley College and plans to major in Mathematics. She is interested in the ways that math can be applied to the social sciences. She is excited to join the IMD program and learn about how math can provide insight and guidance about politics and democracy.
Cammy Zhou is a sophomore at Wellesley College. She plans to major in Mathematics and minor in Philosophy. She is interested in investigating the mathematics behind social, economic, and political practices. She believes that mathematical modeling can effectively help us to understand and thus design the mechanisms to obtain the desired social outcomes. Through the IMD program, she hopes to further my understanding of democracy from a mathematical perspective and to learn the various uses of mathematical modeling in the topic, with the ultimate goal of providing insights into our social mechanisms.
