Press Releases
Educators from Manhattan and Brooklyn elevate the teaching profession and inspire others in mathematics and science
NEW YORK, NY – Math for America (MƒA) today announced that high school mathematics teacher Lauren Brady, who teaches at Park East High School in East Harlem, and high school science teacher John Derian, who teaches at Brooklyn International High School in Brooklyn, have each been awarded the 2025 MƒA Muller Award for Professional Influence in Education. This honor is given to two New York City public school teachers who, during their tenure as MƒA Master Teachers, have influenced the teaching profession in exceptional ways.
Brady and Derian will be awarded $20,000 each during a ceremony on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 as they are recognized for the remarkable work they do to engage students, support colleagues, and exhibit leadership within mathematics and science communities. In addition, $5,000 will be awarded to each teacher's nominating organization - Park East High School (Brady) and Beam Center (Derian).
These awards are made possible by financial support from MƒA Board Member Peter Muller and his family through their Dancing Tides Foundation.
2025 MƒA Muller Award for Professional Influence in Education Winners
Lauren Brady, 12-year MƒA Master Teacher
Image
Brady has taught mathematics in East Harlem for over 20 years, all at Park East High School. She pursued an unconventional education at New College of Florida (a tiny honors college without grades or required core classes), where she explored mathematics, psychology, photography and poetry. Brady began a PhD at NYU, but realized her passion for teaching while lecturing graduate statistics. She immediately joined NYC Teaching Fellows, started teaching mid-year and earned a master’s in math education from Pace University.
When her school faced closure, Brady developed a small-group instruction model for at-risk students, resulting in 100% passing the Algebra I Regents. The model was profiled in The New York Times and funded to scale at additional schools. Brady’s statistics lessons were published by the U.S. Census Bureau and strategies appear in a book by Doug Lemov.
Brady is a Master Teacher through NYC Teacher Career Pathways, four-time MƒA Master Teacher, NYS Master Teacher and recipient of the 2014 Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics. A former Nuyorican Poets Cafe National Slam Team member, Brady’s poetry appeared in an international film festival, Off-Broadway play and motion picture.
At MƒA, she has led courses on writing as a restorative practice, the mathematics of gerrymandering, and has served on the MƒA Equity Advisory Committee.
“If a student is present and isn’t understanding the math, it’s on the teacher and school. Period. Change the approach, try small-group instruction, do something different. Math acts as a gatekeeper at two critical times. Completing Algebra I by ninth-grade unlocks exposure to upper-level high school math; innovative supports are imperative. Required college math courses are gatekeepers to post-secondary degrees. Let’s stop restricting students to algebra-based pathways and provide options. Statistics-based pathways apply to many fields, improve outcomes, and narrow the equity gap.
I’m grateful for being recognized with the MƒA Muller Award for supporting student achievement through innovative instructional models, advocacy and teacher leadership.”
- MƒA Master Teacher Lauren Brady
John Derian, 11-year MƒA Master Teacher
Image
For 17 years, Derian has taught science courses at The Brooklyn International High School (BIHS) where he designs and implements Project Based Learning curriculum for his multilingual learning students. At BIHS, he regularly partners with the Beam Center to develop projects that make use of the school’s FabLab. Since 2013, he has posted teacher guides to his Project Based Learning science and STEM units, student-facing materials, and student support strategies for other teachers to use on his website, aworldofscience.org.
As a curriculum writer, Derian has published 21 Biology, Physics, STEM, and CTE projects for PBLWorks, Genentech, and DiscoveryEd. In 2020, 2023, and 2024, he developed the high school curriculum for Massachusetts public schools’ annual MassSTEM Design Challenge.
Since 2017, Derian has been a member of the National Faculty for PBLWorks. During the summer, he partners with schools and teachers around the country to help implement Project Based Learning curriculum. At MƒA, he has led courses on Project Based Learning and has shared his story on finding comfort in being uncomfortable.
Derian graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a B.S. in Marine Biology. He received a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from UNCW’s Watson School of Education.
“When I design and facilitate Project Based Learning curriculum, my most successful projects are those that inspire students to be intrinsically motivated to engage in the learning and work of the project. At the heart of this motivation is emotional connection, one that resonates with students’ interests and identities. These projects provide a sense of real purpose in the learning because their work has impact beyond the classroom walls. They empower students by giving space to share their voice, make choices, and learn collaboratively. When students feel emotionally connected to the work, they’re more willing to lean in when things become challenging—because it matters to them.
I am very honored to receive the MƒA Muller Award. This award is very meaningful to me as the MƒA community has had such a big impact on my professional growth in and out of the classroom.”
- MƒA Master Teacher John Derian
An external committee selected the finalists for the award by considering the nominees’ contributions to the math or science teaching profession, including their ability to have a positive impact within their school community and drive change outside of their own classroom, leadership within the broader teaching community, and influence on inspiring other teachers to stay in the profession. A committee of the MƒA Board of Directors chose the two winners, one in math and one in science.
The external committee is comprised of experts in mathematics and science education, including:
- Sylvain Cappell, Professor of Mathematics, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, NYU
- Jeanne Garbarino, Executive Director of Science Outreach, Rockefeller University
- Po-Shen Loh, Professor of Mathematics, Carnegie Mellon University
- Latasha Wright, Executive Scientific Officer, BioBus
The MƒA Muller Award for Professional Influence in Education is awarded annually to two teachers, in math and science, who have taken a prominent role as leaders among the MƒA teacher community and beyond. Read more about the award and past winners here.
At MƒA, we’ve created fellowships for accomplished mathematics and science teachers. Our model is based on the belief that collaboration, continued learning, and genuine respect enables teachers to grow professionally and provides long-term career satisfaction. This is a remarkable community of teachers who stay in the profession longer and define what teaching excellence means. These are teachers who inspire and motivate their colleagues. They change the lives of their students.
Interested in covering this story?
