STEM Education

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

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) play an increasingly important role in addressing the 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.

Photo of faculty member Flávio S Azevedo
Associate Professor

Investigates the nature of STEM interests and interest-driven participation and learning, foundations of cognition in STEM disciplines, and learning out of schools.

Photo of faculty member Maura  Borrego
Professor, Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering

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

Photo of faculty member Emma  Gargroetzi
Assistant Professor

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

Photo of faculty member Carlos Nicolas  Gómez Marchant
Assistant Professor

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

Photo of faculty member María González-Howard
Associate 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 faculty member Kemper Lipscomb
Assistant Professor of Practice, Department of Communication Studies, Moody College of Communication

Focuses on the ways students learn in science courses using computational modeling.

Photo of faculty member 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 faculty member Jill A Marshall
Associate Professor

Teaches courses for pre-service in STEM subjects and explores student understanding of mathematical and physical models.

Photo of faculty member Catherine  Riegle-Crumb
Professor

Focuses on the social construction of gender and racial/ethnic inequality in educational opportunities and experiences in STEM fields from a sociological perspective. Methodological expertise in quantitative research methods and analyses of large sca...

Photo of faculty member Victor  Sampson
Associate Professor

Studies the ways culturally and linguistically diverse groups of people use disciplinary the core ideas and practices of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to explain phenomena or to solve problems that are meaningful and consequ...

Photo of faculty member Jennifer C Smith
Assistant Professor of Instruction-CURR

Teaches preservice K-12 teachers how to teach meaningful STEM content in innovative, student- and community-centered ways.

Photo of faculty member Cathery  Yeh
Assistant Professor

Dr. Yeh's research examines the role race, class, gender, and language plays in the constructions of ability in mathematics classrooms.

  • Chun-Yen Chang

    Director of the Science Education Center, National Taiwan Normal University Ph.D. in Science Education, 1996

  • Vanessa Svihla

    Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences, University of New Mexico Ph.D. in Science Education, 2009

  • Janice Trinidad

    Teacher, Manor Tech High School Ph.D. in Physics, Certification from UTeach Natural Sciences, 2007

  • Candace Walkington

    Assistant Professor in Teaching and Learning, Southern Methodist University Ph.D. in Mathematics Education, 2010

  • Jenny Buontempo

    Research Data Analyst, Center for Education Policy Analysis, Stanford University B.S., Mathematics and International Business and Trade, Saint Peter’s College M.A., Interdisciplinary Education, Santa Clara University M.A., Mathematics, University of Kansas Ph.D., STEM Education, The University of Texas at Austin

  • Juanita M. Silva

    Assistant Professor of Math Education at Texas State University B.S., Mathematics, The University of Texas at Austin Ph.D., STEM Education, The University of Texas at Austin