USC Viterbi alum Ricardo Valerdi on Science of Sport

USC Viterbi alumnus Ricardo Valerdi teaches students STEM through the joy of sports, including partnerships with MLB and the NBA

“Ask a classroom of third or fourth graders: ‘Raise your hand if you like math,’” said Ricardo Valerdi, M.S. ’02, Ph.D. ’05, “and most of them would raise their hand.” 

“Wait a year or two after that,” he added “and most of them would not.” 

Since becoming an academic, Valerdi wanted to find ways that he could inspire young kids to develop a passion for science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM. Valerdi, who was named the University of Arizona’s Distinguished Outreach Professor in 2020, serves as a professor of systems and industrial engineering...