Heather Lynn Johnson is a mathematics educator who investigates students’ mathematical reasoning. She designs interactive, online tasks to provide students opportunities to expand their mathematical reasoning, and she teaches teachers to grow their students’ mathematical reasoning. Heather earned her B.S., M.Ed., and Ph.D from Penn State University. Learn more about Heather’s research at hthrlynnj.com.
Gary Olson is a mathematics educator who works to enhance success of undergraduate students in mathematics general education courses. He designs and shares tactile active learning activities (TACTivities) for precalculus and calculus courses, and he also oversees the teacher training program for mathematics graduate teaching assistants.
Belin Tsinnajinnie, Co-Principal Investigator
Belin Tsinnajinnie (he/him/his) is Diné and Filipinx from Na’ Neelzhiin, New Mexico. Belin received his PhD in Mathematics at the University of Arizona with a doctoral thesis focused on notions of mathematical identity in the context of Indigenous and Latinx students. He is now a Full-time Faculty of Mathematics at Santa Fe Community College. Belin is interested in identifying and articulating issues pertaining social justice and equity in mathematics education through Indigenous perspectives.
Bikai Nie, Co-Principal Investigator
Bikai Nie is a mathematics educator who works to develop college students’ algebraic ideas, geometric thinking, understanding of calculus and statistical reasoning. His research interests include algebra study for K-16 students and problem solving and posing. Bikai Nie earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from East China Normal University, and M.S. in Statistics from the University of Delaware.
Courtney Donovan is a methodologist focused on educational research and evaluation methods. As a former middle school STEM teacher, Courtney’s research interests include working in the “research to practice” gap in education, developing & validating measures in social sciences, and statistical modeling with datasets encouraging educational and societal change.
John Carter, Senior Personnel
John Carter joined MSU Denver in 2010 as part of a transition from theoretical mathematics to mathematics education. In the intervening years he has taken a special interest in improving the general studies classes. He has a particular interest in active learning in mathematics classrooms.
Diane Hegeman, Senior Personnel
Diane Hegeman is a higher education leadership educator who works to strengthen current HE leaders’ potential to the highest levels. As a former community college administrator, she understands the changing demographics, challenges, and needs of our students and strives to design and implement teaching/learning strategies that prepares others for the future of higher education. Diane earned her Ph.D. from Colorado State University.
Xin Wang, Project Evaluator
Xin Wang is the external evaluator of the project. As a senior Research Associate at RMC Research, she has expertise in program evaluation, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, quantitative research and analysis, and educational technology. Xin currently serves as co-principal investigator or lead evaluator for multiple research projects funded by the National Science Foundation. She received her MA and PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Livvia Bechtold, Graduate Research Assistant
Livvia Bechtold is a Lecturer of Mathematics and Ph.D. candidate in Mathematics Education at the University of Colorado Denver. Her research interests include diversity, equity, and active learning in undergraduate mathematics education. Livvia earned her B.S. and M.S. in Education with an emphasis in Mathematics and a M.S. in Applied Mathematics at University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Robert (Bobby) Knurek, Graduate Research Assistant
Bobby Knurek is a Ph.D. candidate in Mathematics Education at the University of Colorado Denver. He earned his BA and MA at Miami University (Ohio). Bobby has 6 years of teaching experience at the middle school level. His research interests are in the authentic reasoning processes of students and the impact of technology in engaging students to formulate deep conceptual understandings.
Kristin Whitmore, Graduate Research Assistant
Kristin Whitmore is a PhD student in Mathematics Education at University of Colorado Denver. Kristin is passionate about educational opportunities that are equitable and meaningful for students. She has been teaching mathematics to students ages 6 to adult for over 20 years. Kristin earned her B.S. in K-8 Education with a Mathematics minor at Plymouth State University and her M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction at Rivier University, both in New Hampshire.
Paul Embleton, Graduate Research Assistant
Paul Embleton is a doctoral candidate at the University of Colorado Denver in the School Psychology program and a freelance software developer when time permits. Paul brings his passion for solving real-world problems with technology to the ITsCRITiCAL project as a data scientist who will help the team crunch big survey data with machine learning techniques. Before attending graduate school to become a school psychologist, Paul was secondary education math and English teacher for more than six years. Paul received his BA in education from the Metropolitan State University of Denver and hopes to be a degree-holding licensed psychologist by the end of 2021.
Laura Berryman, Technology Teaching Assistant
Laura Berryman is a Master’s student in Learning, Design & Technology at the University of Colorado, Denver. She is also a Junior Course Developer at MSU Denver. Laura earned a bachelor’s degree in Physics at UC Berkeley, then taught middle and high school science and math before transitioning to a career in instructional design. Laura is passionate about making online learning engaging, meaningful, and accessible for all learners.
Amy Smith, Former Project Manager
Amy Smith is the former ITsCRITiCAL project manager and a lecturer of mathematics education at the University of Colorado Denver. She now is an Assistant Professor of Education at Stetson University. Her research interests include how children conceptualize duration as a measurable attribute of their experiences.
Nursen Konuk, Former Senior Personnel
Nursen Konuk is a mathematics educator who is passionate to create opportunities for students to develop positive mathematics identities. She received her Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction at Penn State with an emphasis in mathematics education. Her research focuses on supporting prospective teachers in developing teaching practices and improving undergraduate STEM education. She is also interested in collaborative practices among mathematics educators, particularly co-planning, that provide opportunities for professional development.
Heather Lynn Johnson is a mathematics educator who investigates students’ mathematical reasoning. She designs interactive, online tasks to provide students opportunities to expand their mathematical reasoning, and she teaches teachers to grow their students’ mathematical reasoning. Heather earned her B.S., M.Ed., and Ph.D from Penn State University. Learn more about Heather’s research at hthrlynnj.com.
Gary Olson is a mathematics educator who works to enhance success of undergraduate students in mathematics general education courses. He designs and shares tactile active learning activities (TACTivities) for precalculus and calculus courses, and he also oversees the teacher training program for mathematics graduate teaching assistants.
Belin Tsinnajinnie (he/him/his) is Diné and Filipinx from Na’ Neelzhiin, New Mexico. Belin received his PhD in Mathematics at the University of Arizona with a doctoral thesis focused on notions of mathematical identity in the context of Indigenous and Latinx students. He is now a Full-time Faculty of Mathematics at Santa Fe Community College. Belin is interested in identifying and articulating issues pertaining social justice and equity in mathematics education through Indigenous perspectives.
Bikai Nie is a mathematics educator who works to develop college students’ algebraic ideas, geometric thinking, understanding of calculus and statistical reasoning. His research interests include algebra study for K-16 students and problem solving and posing. Bikai Nie earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from East China Normal University, and M.S. in Statistics from the University of Delaware.
Courtney Donovan is a methodologist focused on educational research and evaluation methods. As a former middle school STEM teacher, Courtney’s research interests include working in the “research to practice” gap in education, developing & validating measures in social sciences, and statistical modeling with datasets encouraging educational and societal change.
John Carter joined MSU Denver in 2010 as part of a transition from theoretical mathematics to mathematics education. In the intervening years he has taken a special interest in improving the general studies classes. He has a particular interest in active learning in mathematics classrooms.
Diane Hegeman is a higher education leadership educator who works to strengthen current HE leaders’ potential to the highest levels. As a former community college administrator, she understands the changing demographics, challenges, and needs of our students and strives to design and implement teaching/learning strategies that prepares others for the future of higher education. Diane earned her Ph.D. from Colorado State University.
Xin Wang is the external evaluator of the project. As a senior Research Associate at RMC Research, she has expertise in program evaluation, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, quantitative research and analysis, and educational technology. Xin currently serves as co-principal investigator or lead evaluator for multiple research projects funded by the National Science Foundation. She received her MA and PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Livvia Bechtold is a Lecturer of Mathematics and Ph.D. candidate in Mathematics Education at the University of Colorado Denver. Her research interests include diversity, equity, and active learning in undergraduate mathematics education. Livvia earned her B.S. and M.S. in Education with an emphasis in Mathematics and a M.S. in Applied Mathematics at University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Bobby Knurek is a Ph.D. candidate in Mathematics Education at the University of Colorado Denver. He earned his BA and MA at Miami University (Ohio). Bobby has 6 years of teaching experience at the middle school level. His research interests are in the authentic reasoning processes of students and the impact of technology in engaging students to formulate deep conceptual understandings.
Kristin Whitmore is a PhD student in Mathematics Education at University of Colorado Denver. Kristin is passionate about educational opportunities that are equitable and meaningful for students. She has been teaching mathematics to students ages 6 to adult for over 20 years. Kristin earned her B.S. in K-8 Education with a Mathematics minor at Plymouth State University and her M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction at Rivier University, both in New Hampshire.
Paul Embleton is a doctoral candidate at the University of Colorado Denver in the School Psychology program and a freelance software developer when time permits. Paul brings his passion for solving real-world problems with technology to the ITsCRITiCAL project as a data scientist who will help the team crunch big survey data with machine learning techniques. Before attending graduate school to become a school psychologist, Paul was secondary education math and English teacher for more than six years. Paul received his BA in education from the Metropolitan State University of Denver and hopes to be a degree-holding licensed psychologist by the end of 2021.
Laura Berryman is a Master’s student in Learning, Design & Technology at the University of Colorado, Denver. She is also a Junior Course Developer at MSU Denver. Laura earned a bachelor’s degree in Physics at UC Berkeley, then taught middle and high school science and math before transitioning to a career in instructional design. Laura is passionate about making online learning engaging, meaningful, and accessible for all learners.
Amy Smith is the former ITsCRITiCAL project manager and a lecturer of mathematics education at the University of Colorado Denver. She now is an Assistant Professor of Education at Stetson University. Her research interests include how children conceptualize duration as a measurable attribute of their experiences.
Nursen Konuk is a mathematics educator who is passionate to create opportunities for students to develop positive mathematics identities. She received her Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction at Penn State with an emphasis in mathematics education. Her research focuses on supporting prospective teachers in developing teaching practices and improving undergraduate STEM education. She is also interested in collaborative practices among mathematics educators, particularly co-planning, that provide opportunities for professional development.