Our Founders
James King
Mathematician
James King holds both graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of Delaware where he was a National Science Foundation Fellow, a DuPont Scholar and a TA in both computer science and mathematics. He is the author of Mathematics for Talented (or Just Plain Curious) Kids and Lucy: The Puzzle of the Vanishing Kittens, with Alecos Papadatos. Over his twenty-year teaching career, he has served as lead mathematics instructor at independent day schools in New York City, Indiana, and Oregon. For several years he was a
Title 1 Mathematics Specialist for two school districts in Maryland, where he oversaw a performance-based mathematics program for thirty schools, seventy-five faculty members, and three thousand students. He also has served on the Boards of Harlem School of the Arts (NYC) and Shattuck St. Mary's School (Faribault MN).
Alecos Papadatos
Philosopher and Artist
Alecos Papadatos studied Economics at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and then Philosophy at the University of Sorbonne. His passion and artistic talent for story-telling through sketches and drawing turned into his profession. He designed and illustrated the graphic novels Logicomix, Democracy, and Aristotle, in collaboration with a variety of brilliant writers and publishers. In 2023, Alecos set up a training program for young people in Greece on Animation Storyboarding, a course designed to help young professionals promote their projects and spread their wings abroad. Alecos brings problem-solving to life in the Wicked contests and Middle Maths projects.
Dr. Jyothi Vinjumur
AI Researcher and Educator
Dr. Jyothi Vinjumur is an AI researcher, educator, and a product leader with a deep passion for making Artificial Intelligence accessible, responsible, and impactful—especially for the next generation of learners. With over six years of experience in technical leadership and three years in product management, she has led multiple AI-driven solutions in a variety of business segments. Her greatest passion lies in education—particularly in empowering high school students with the knowledge and skills to understand, use, and innovate with AI responsibly. She strongly believes that today’s students will shape the future of AI. Her teaching philosophy centers on strong conceptual foundations, hands-on learning, critical thinking, and real-world applications, ensuring that students go beyond theory to build and experiment with AI tools.
Scott Chapin
Education Specialist
Scott Chapin graduated from William and Mary before pursuing a successful teaching career. He was the chairman of the social studies department for five years while teaching a diverse number of courses, coaching soccer and serving as the school's piano accompanist for musical productions at Tidewater Academy. He has taught online high school courses for decades and was at the forefront of online education. Scott excels at meeting students where they, understanding their aspirations, and guiding their learning experience towards meeting their goals. An accomplished musician, Scott likely has one of the largest vinyl collections in the Commonwealth of Virginia.