Carlos Gordon
I was born in Madrid, Spain, but I moved around quite a bit due to my parents’ respective jobs. I’ve lived in León, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Chicago, Illinois, US; and Stockholm, Sweden. I really appreciate the time I spent living in different places as well as the need to adapt to different schools, cultures and countries—it shaped my personality and has allowed me to develop aneagerness to face challenges. I am a challenge enthusiast, which means I love sports like cycling, climbing and surfing. I also love to read and focus on continuing my learning.
“The future needs minds that are comfortable with abstract mathematics and know how to apply knowledge to solve real-life problems.”
Applying mathematics to everyday challenges
Carlos Gordon had a truly international upbringing, spending his childhood in several different countries. Moving around a lot led him to develop a love of challenges and a global mindset, which is something he tries to bring into the classrooms of IE University as a professor of the Bachelor in Applied Mathematics.
After earning his bachelor’s degree in mathematics in Madrid and Stockholm, followed by a master's in mathematics education, Carlos knew he wanted to share his passion with others through teaching. He has taught math at both high school and university levels, as well as giving classes in digital competence for teachers. Outside of the classroom, his research interests lie in data science, particularly statistical models and their applications to education, neurobiology and social development.
Carlos works hard to inspire his students, which includes constantly looking for new ideas for his lessons—for example, teaching outside in order to get out of the closed environment of the classroom. He is especially excited about teaching applied mathematics because he believes the future world of work requires minds that are comfortable with abstract mathematics. At the same time, the world needs leaders who can apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems.
The Bachelor in Applied Mathematics at IE University is designed to equip students with the knowledge, cutting-edge tools and technological skills they need to confidently solve real-life problems. Carlos also says that the program will enhance students’ global view of mathematics—an imperative in today’s world, where science and math are necessary in almost every field.
Mathematics is the language of science and plays a crucial role in understanding and describing natural phenomena. Carlos explains that as scientific research advances, mathematics will remain essential for modeling, simulating and making predictions about complex systems, from climate change to quantum mechanics. Mathematics will also be critical in developing and optimizing new technologies—especially in fields like artificial intelligence, machine learning, cryptography and data science, which rely heavily on mathematical principles.
Carlos believes that the unique value of the Bachelor in Applied Mathematics is found in the fact that the program offers the versatility and critical thinking skills required for students to adapt to future jobs—including those that don’t exist yet but are sure to emerge. With this degree, students can find roles in a variety of fields ranging from banking to computer science.
A truly inspirational professor, Carlos never gives up in his pursuit of knowledge, believing that continuous learning and growth are keys to success and health. A big part of that philosophy includes facing challenges and taking risks, because as he says, “An error only becomes a failure if you don’t learn from it.”
