His TED talk was the fifth most viewed in 2020 — and now he teaches at FIU

When success seems unlikely, Anindya Kundu believes it should become the only option.

The assistant professor of educational leadership joined FIU this fall with a plan to disrupt the common belief that some people don’t have what it takes to succeed in educational spaces. Kundu studies success cases in young people, particularly racial minorities from low-income backgrounds, to highlight possibilities. He believes if students are provided the right types of cultural and social support, then success for all students should be possible.

As a second-generation American, Kundu experienced life in both lower-income neighborhoods and wealthier suburbs as a kid. His family’s social mobility was a result of his father’s career successes as an engineer. His parents had left India to pursue the American dream and provide their children with a strong education and career path. Kundu packed his bags and left his family’s home in Portland, Ore. to head to college at the University of Chicago. Originally wanting to be a lawyer, Kundu changed his mind after watching his sister navigate law school. He decided his passion lied with working against inequality in America.

“Going to college in Chicago really opens your eyes up to that,” Kundu said. He described how University of Chicago is an extremely well-resourced institution, nestled within the South Side of Chicago, which is often deplete of resources.

While pursuing his bachelor’s in Law, Letters and Society, Kundu got involved in a research project on gun violence and schools in Chicago. The experience made him realize he wanted to do research and maybe go into academia. He worked as a researcher collecting data on youth detainees and monitoring the admissions process at Cook County Juvenile Detention Center – the largest juvenile detention center in America. He realized that even the kids who were detained there were bright, but lacked opportunity.

With experience under his belt, Kundu headed to New York to earn a Ph.D. in Sociology of Education from New York University. Under the guidance of Pedro Noguera, Kundu looked at adding a social perspective to grit – a combination of your passion for learning, perseverance at task and purposeful activities. The idea behind Kundu’s recently published book “The Power of Student Agency” came from his dissertation research.

“I was drawn to write a book ideally that would be useful for education practitioners, leaders, parents and students,” Kundu said. “The book is broken up into sections for people that might find it useful.” The book went on to become a finalist for the 2021 Association of American Publisher’s PROSE (Professional and Scholarly Excellence) Award.