VCTM 2025

Dr. Padmanabhan Seshaiyer (Padhu) is a Professor at George Mason University (GMU) where he has served in multiple leadership positions including the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Director of the STEM Accelerator Program and Director of COMPLETE: Center for Outreach in Mathematics Professional Learning and Educational TEchnology. His research interests are in the broad areas of Computational Mathematics, Data Science, Machine Learning, Computational Biomechanics, Computational Thinking, Mathematical Modeling, Design and Systems Thinking, STEM education and Teacher Professional Development. During the last decade, he has initiated and directed a variety of educational programs including faculty development, post-graduate, graduate and undergraduate research, K-12 outreach, teacher professional development, and enrichment programs to foster the interest of students and teachers in STEM at all levels. He has also served as a Program Director at the National Science Foundation and currently serves as the Chair of the US National Academies Committee for Mathematics Instruction. He is also an appointed member on two different boards reporting to the Governor of Virginia including the STEM Education Advisory Board and the Workforce Development Board. In April 2019, he was selected as one of the “Figures that Matter” for his contributions to Academia and Society and was awarded an honorary doctorate by Vrije Universiteit Brussels. Dr. Seshaiyer also was one of the lead members on a taskforce from Virginia that helped to establish the first-ever high school data science standards, curriculum and course as new post-secondary pathways that is approved by the VA Board of Education.