Intro

My academic and professional interests lie at the intersection of Computer Science and Political Science. I am driven by a passion for developing models that enhance our understanding of social interactions and political phenomena. Throughout my career, I have consistently sought to integrate my interests in technology, politics, and civic engagement. This site provides a brief overview of my key experiences and accomplishments, and I welcome the opportunity to discuss them further in person.

Some History

From an early age, I developed a strong interest in technology, fostered by early access to computers in my parents' oil industry careers. This passion led me to pursue a degree in Computer Engineering at the Universidad Simón Bolívar (USB) in Venezuela. However, witnessing the deterioration of my country under the Chávez regime ignited a desire to contribute to positive social change. I embarked on a Master's degree in Political Science at USB, though I was unable to complete it due to the escalating political and economic crisis.

My Academic Journey

Recognizing the need for further academic development, I was fortunate to receive an opportunity to pursue graduate studies at Texas Tech University, where I earned both my Master's and Ph.D. in Political Science under the guidance of Dr. Alissandra Stoyan, whose mentorship I greatly value. My research is driven by a commitment to democratic values and a desire to understand and address the challenges faced by countries experiencing authoritarianism and humanitarian crises. I focus on analyzing authoritarian dynamics, gender inequalities, electoral systems, and institutional design, primarily within the Latin American area, while also exploring other regions. My interdisciplinary background allows me to incorporate methods from computer science to advance political science research and mentor students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Service and causes

Along technology and politics, serving others is one of my major passions. From 2008 to 2012, I served as ambassador for Fedora, I attended events as a spokeperson and open software activist, mainly at launch parties and installation festivals. In my alma mater, I served as a Volunteer Forest Ranger from 2011 to 2015, where I participated in reforestation and forest protection, tours for visitors, and volunteered at institutional support activities. Finally, after graduating, I continued helping my alma mater as part of the team at the USB Alumni Association of America, Inc., a non-profit organization that has collected over 945,000 dollars since its foundation back in 2015, and handed over 65 students scholarhips and 200 professors awards. Previously, during my undergarduate years at USB, I served as a Student Representatiev at FONDESIBO (a Student's Aid Fund); a Student Delegate at the Unievrsity's Assembly; and finally, I was the Substitute President of the Student Electoral Comission of the Student's Federation. In all of these roles I always represented my peers' needs of a fair and just education and services. More recently, at TTU, I served as Treasurer of the Graduate Assemly (GA); Treasurer and Founder of the Venezuelan Student Association (VSA-TTU); and finally, I was a Senator representing the Graduate School at the Student Government Association (SGA-TTU).

I Like

• Running
• Space
• Sci-Fi and Fantasy (novels, tv series, and movies)
• Politics (shocking, right?)
• Board games
• Video Games (RTS, and RPG mainly)
• Networking and community building
• Soccer (we call it "Fútbol")
• Baseball
• The beach
• Cooking (learning how to make soups)
• Anime

Fun Facts

• Since I arrived to the US in 2018, I never owned a car. That's right, I only have been riding a bycicle.
• The favicon of this site is Dr. Manhattan's logo from Watchmen, I believe it captures both my minimalistic nature and my passion for science.
• Thanks to research conferences, friends, and family, I visited 20 states of the US, still less than half.
• I am team Summer, so I will always prefer warm over cold weather.
• I know the numbers in Korean because I practiced Tae Kwon Do when I was little.

Acknowledgments

This site was built using create-react-app, React-Router, Node.js, and SCSS. The author is Michael D'Angelo, and the source can be found here. I want to express my gratitute to Rodolfo Maciéczyk for his mentorship and guidance in this project. Further improvements to this site were made possible thanks to the wonderful insights provided by my dear friend, Franklin Andrade. Finally, I would like to thank Silvia O'Dwyer and the Lightbox.js project that made possible the posters' gallery.