Valpo Professor Named Program Director for National Science Foundation

Aug. 17, 2021 – Valparaiso, Indiana –Mindy Capaldi, Ph.D., associate professor of mathematics and statistics at Valparaiso University, is headed to Alexandria, Virginia, for a two-year term as a visiting scientist, engineer and educator (VSEE) program director for the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF rotator program offers a chance for scientists, engineers and educators to serve as directors and make recommendations about which proposals to fund; influence new directions in the fields of science, engineering and education; support cutting-edge interdisciplinary research; and mentor junior researchers.

“Professor Capaldi’s selection into this prestigious program is a true honor and a testament to the outstanding caliber of faculty at Valparaiso University,” said Eric W. Johnson ’87, Ph.D., provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “The programs and people at National Science Foundation are at the center of innovation and research. This will be a rewarding experience for Professor Capaldi, and it can provide insight to our campus community about where research trends are headed and how our faculty might further pursue NSF funding for their research projects.”

Rotators collaborate with others and survey the entire breadth of U.S. and international science, engineering and education in real time. Temporary program directors retain ties to their current institutions and return to them with new insights and experience.

In her position, Capaldi will perform long-range planning and budget development in the mathematics education area. Program directors oversee the NSF’s “gold standard” merit review process and may help define new funding opportunities. Key responsibilities include interacting with potential principal investigators, forming and facilitating merit review panels and recommending funding decisions.

“I am so excited about the knowledge and experience I will gain over the next couple of years as I learn how the other side of the grant world works,” Capaldi said. “It will be interesting to see how the NSF operates, but also to see what innovative ideas are being proposed by other institutions and organizations to promote STEM education. I’m thankful to Valpo for allowing me to take advantage of this opportunity.”

As a mathematics educator, Capaldi will likely be involved with the review and funding process for grants related to the teaching and learning of mathematics as well as providing scholarships and retention initiatives in mathematics/STEM. Program directors have the opportunity to be involved with a broad spectrum of national scientific programs and initiatives that ultimately increase intellectual awareness and enhance professional growth.

Capaldi came to Valparaiso University in 2010 as a visiting assistant professor in mathematics and statistics. In 2011, she was hired as an assistant professor, and she was granted tenure and promoted to associate professor in 2017. A great deal of her scholarship focuses on teaching mathematics, and she has been the principal investigator or co-principal investigator on three NSF grants. She received her bachelor’s degrees in history and mathematics from Georgetown College and her master’s and doctoral degrees in mathematics from North Carolina State University.