Dr. Thomas Ales

Mathematics & Research Instructor
tales@cvgs.k12.va.us

I am excited for my first year teaching the senior Connections in Mathematics course and junior Research. I spent the previous seven years teaching in both Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Lynchburg, and the seven years before that I was at George Mason University working as both a graduate teaching assistant and (briefly) a graduate research assitant while in grad school. I have also taught as adjunct faculty at Randolph College, Central Virginia Community College, and Northern Virginia Community College.

This will be my second stint with a Virginia Governor's School having served for three years as Director and one year as faculty at the Summer Residential Governor's School for Math, Science, and Technology from 2022 to 2025,

Educational Background

Lynchburg College, B.S. in Mathematics with a minor in Philosophy, 2011
George Mason University, M.S. in Mathematics, 2016
George Mason University, Ph.D. in Mathematics specializing in Algebra, 2019
The Pennsylvania State University, graduate certificate in Applied Statistics, 2021

Personal Background

I live in Madison Heights with my wife of 12 years, Tabitha, and my two children. We have two dogs, a cat, countably infinite fish, and a handful of stray cats we chose to feed. When not working or doing things with my family, I enjoy playing disc golf at many of the courses in Lynchburg and the surrounding area. I own several musical instruments, but am hesitant to say I am good at any of them. I also enjoy video games, spy movies, post-hardcore music, the New York Times crossword, and baking the odd loaf of bread.

I came to Virginia in 2007 for college and never left. I have lived in Lynchburg, Roanoke, Fairfax, Sterling, Lynchburg again, and finally Madison Heights. Prior to college, I attended high school in Trumbull, Connecticut and before high school, I lived in Ocean Springs Mississippi for 12 years. My birth certificate says 'Illinois'.

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