About the Author

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Sam Vandervelde received his doctoral degree from the University of Chicago in June 2004, and is currently attempting to simultaneously pursue all the things he loves to do most. (Such as coordinate this math competition, organize a math circle at Stanford, launch a program for middle school math teachers, play soccer, spend time with his boys, and cook.) His mathematical interests include algebraic number theory, L-functions, and Mahler measure. He resumed his graduate studies after a five year stint teaching mathematics at The Roxbury Latin School, a private boys school in Boston for grades seven through twelve. While Dr. Vandervelde likes to think that his students will remember him for his lucid presentation of astoundingly interesting mathematical concepts, he suspects that they will sooner recall his somewhat creative teaching techniques, which included such events as the fall bulls-eye tic-tac-toe tournament, calculator licenses, and the ever popular game of minions.
As if dreaming up fiendishly difficult questions for the Mandelbrot Competition were not enough to keep him occupied, Sam is also the proud father of two little boys, born in August 2001 and April 2004.
Not surprisingly, Dr. Vandervelde loved taking math contests while in high school and college. He is proud of winning ARML his senior year while attending Amherst County High School, as well as being selected for the 1989 IMO team which took 5th place in West Germany later that summer.
He currently resides in Palo Alto, CA and is happily married to Eunice Cheung, who successfully defended her doctoral thesis on hearing in May 2003.

Books by Sam Vandervelde:

The Mandelbrot Problem Book
The First Five Years