STEM Education

A group of middle school students collaborate on a science project.

Photo of Catherine Riegle-Crumb

Program Area Coordinator, Advisor
Catherine Riegle-Crumb

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) play an increasingly important role in addressing critical needs of society and generating innovation that drives the global economy. The STEM Education faculty is committed to providing equitable access to STEM careers and literacy for a diverse community of learners. We build and cultivate interest in STEM topics through innovative and socially responsive research, teaching, and teacher preparation informed by the learning sciences.

Our STEM Education degrees prepare elementary teachers through the K-6 certification program and secondary teachers through GradUTeach, developed in partnership with the nationally recognized UTeach program. Our graduate students return to the classroom and educational organizations in leadership roles and go on to make major contributions in STEM education research and teaching. We also offer options that empower current teachers to extend their knowledge of STEM education.

Faculty

Photo of Flavio Azevendo

Flavio S. Azevedo

Associate Professor

Investigates interest-based participation in STEM disciplines in classrooms and extra-curricular activities.

Photo of Maura Borrego

Maura Borrego

Professor

Studies engineering and STEM higher education, including faculty, graduate students and undergraduates. 

Photo of Emma Gargroetzi

Emma Gargroetzi

Assistant Professor of Instruction

Explores the intersection of the sociopolitical and mathematical lives of children with a focus on identity and learning. 

Photo of Carlos Nicolas Gomez Marchant

Carlos Nicolas Gomez

Assistant Professor

Investigates intersections of race, language and mathematics through the experiences of Latinx students learning and doing mathematics. 

Photo of Maria Gonzalez-Howard

María González-Howard

Assistant Professor

Research explores the intersections of multilingualism, scientific sensemaking, and teacher education, with a specific focus on the ways multilingual students engage in science practices through translanguaging.  

Photo of Tia Madkins

Tia Madkins

Assistant Professor

Engages humanizing research approaches to examine equity-focused PK-16 STEM teaching and learning across urban contexts with a focus on Black girls.

Photo of Jill Marshall

Jill A. Marshall

Associate Professor

Co-directs the UTeach Natural Sciences Secondary STEM Teacher Preparation Program, studies equity issues teacher preparation, as well as interdisciplinary science, engineering and maker education.

Photo of Catherine Riegle-Crumb

Catherine Riegle-Crumb

Professor

Focuses on gender and racial/ethnic inequality in educational experiences and student achievement in STEM fields.

Photo of Victor Sampson

Victor Sampson

Associate Professor

Studies ways to make STEM learning experiences more equitable and inclusive, focusing on creating instructional materials that give learners more opportunities to participate. 

Cathery Yeh

Cathery Yeh

Assistant Professor

Examines the role race, class, gender and language plays in the constructions of ability in mathematics classrooms.