John Urschel

John Urschel is an accomplished mathematician and former NFL offensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens, a position he held from 2014 to 2017. He currently serves as an assistant professor at the Department of Mathematics of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Urschel attended Penn State University, where he excelled both academically and athletically, playing football and earning his bachelor's and master's degrees in mathematics. Urschel's skill on the field and academic prowess led him to receive the Campbell Trophy, also known as the "Academic Heisman."

An applied mathematician, Urschel's research focuses on numerical analysis, graph theory, and data science/machine learning. He is primarily interested in theoretical results and provable guarantees for practical algorithms/problems, which often lead to new and improved algorithms. His work has resulted in several published research papers in areas including graph theory, machine learning, and numerical analysis. He was recognized in 2017 when Forbes listed him in their "30 under 30" list of outstanding young scientists.

Urschel's contributions to the field of mathematics have extended beyond research and academia. He is an advanced stats columnist for The Players' Tribune and is serving a three-year term on the College Football Playoff selection committee. Beyond his professional and academic pursuits, Urschel is also a seasoned chess player, having competed in the 2015 Pittsburgh Open chess tournament and commentating for Chess.com's BlitzChamps event. He also co-authored a New York Times-bestselling memoir, "Mind and Matter: A Life in Math and Football," with writer Louisa Thomas, to whom he is married.