Anindya Kundu, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Florida International University, sociologist of education, and two-time TED speaker (over 6M views). His scholarship examines student agency, the sociology of grit, closing opportunity gaps, and the social and institutional conditions that enable individuals to thrive. He is the author of The Power of Student Agency: Looking Beyond Grit to Close the Opportunity Gap (Teachers College Press, 2020) and Transforming Educational Leadership: Non-Traditional Narratives to Promote Equity in Uncertain Times (Oxford University Press, 2025). His work bridges sociological research and educational practice to help educators and leaders create more equitable pathways to opportunity. Kundu frequently champions for public education across national media outlets, with his work having been featured in NPR, USA Today, the74Million, The Conversation, The Miami Herald, and more.