The MƒA Thursday Think Speaker Series brings accomplished speakers who dive into cutting edge topics in STEM education to MƒA. A unique part of our professional course offerings, these talks, held on a Thursday of every month throughout the school year, invite MƒA teachers and their colleagues, as well as other educators and the general public to learn and engage with these thought leaders and professionals in mathematics, science, and education.
Please stay tuned for our 2022-2023 lineup of Thursday Think speakers.
Building a Foundation For Culturally and Historically Responsive Education Featuring Gholdy Muhammad, Ph.D.
More about Gholdy Muhammad Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad is an Associate Professor of Literacy, Language, and Culture at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She studies Black historical excellence within educational communities with the goal of reframing curriculum and instruction. Dr. Muhammad’s scholarship has appeared in leading academic journals and she is the author of the best-selling book, Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. Her Responsive Education Model has been adopted in school districts across the U.S. and she has received numerous national awards for her work. In 2022, she was named among the top 1% Edu-Scholar Public Influencers. She was also recognized by Education Week as one of the 200 most influential education researchers, received the 2020 American Educational Research Association’s Division K Early Career Award, and the 2021 NCTE Outstanding Elementary Educator in the English Language Arts. She has led a federal grant with the United States Department of Education to study culturally and historically responsive literacy in STEM classrooms.
Featuring MƒA Storytellers
Learn more about the Story Collider Since 2010, The Story Collider has brought true and personal stories about science to life through their many live shows and their weekly podcast. The knowledge gained has been instrumental in teaching scientists how to use narrative in their work to show that science is now, more than ever, a vibrant and integral part of all of our lives, and that everyone — regardless of class, race, gender, sexuality, or education — has a story to tell about how it has impacted them. At this Thursday Think, you’ll hear from MƒA Master Teacher storytellers as they share the times things went wrong, and occasionally right, in their labs, classrooms, and beyond. Some of the stories will be heartbreaking, others will be hilarious, but they will all be true and very personal.
Featuring Emily Riehl, Ph.D.
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Featuring David Spergel, Ph.D.
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Living With Chimpanzees Featuring Zarin Machanda, Ph.D.
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MT²: Master Teachers on Teaching Featuring MƒA Master Teachers
The Mathematics of Card Shuffling Featuring Francis Su, Ph.D.
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The Science of Wonder Featuring Educational Consultant and YouTube Creator Paul Andersen
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Would We Know Life if We Saw It? Featuring Clara Sousa-Silva, Ph.D.
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Math Anxiety: Who Has It, Why It Develops, and How to Guard Against It Featuring President of Barnard College Sian Beilock, Ph.D.
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COVID-19 Vaccines: What Do We Know Four Months Into Vaccine Rollout? Featuring Florian Krammer, Ph.D.
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Volcanology: Danger, Discovery, and Delight Featuring Volcanologist Jess Phoenix
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Singing in the Brain Featuring Neurobiologist Dr. Erich Jarvis
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Examining Identity, Agency, Positionality and Authority in Mathematics Teaching Featuring National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) President Dr. Robert Berry
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When Content Meets Context: Toward a Revolution in STEM Education Featuring Professor Chris Emdin
More about Chris Emdin
Christopher Emdin is an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he also serves as the Associate Director of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education. He is the creator of the #HipHopEd social media movement and Science Genius B.A.T.T.L.E.S., as well as the author of the award-winning book Urban Science Education for the Hip- Hop Generation and the New York Times best seller For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood and the Rest of Ya’ll Too . Emdin was named the 2015 Multicultural Educator of the Year by the National Association of Multicultural Educators and has been honored as a STEM Access Champion of Change by the White House under President Obama. In addition to teaching, he served as a Minorities in Energy Ambassador for the U.S. Department of Energy.
Made You Look: Statistics Through Data Visualization Featuring Data Editor of Guardian US Mona Chalabi
Hands-On Puzzles Featuring Mathematician and Sculptor Dr. George Hart
For speaker inquiries or speaking opportunities, contact Jennifer Cody , Program Officer for Engagement and Communications.
Building a Foundation For Culturally and Historically Responsive Education
The Story Collider
The Mathematics of Social Choice
Measuring the Shape and Age of the Universe
Living With Chimpanzees
MT²: Master Teachers on Teaching
The Mathematics of Card Shuffling
The Science of Wonder
Would We Know Life if We Saw It?
Math Anxiety: Who Has It, Why It Develops, and How to Guard Against It
COVID-19 Vaccines: What Do We Know Four Months Into Vaccine Rollout?
Volcanology: Danger, Discovery, and Delight
Singing in the Brain
Examining Identity, Agency, Positionality and Authority in Mathematics Teaching
When Content Meets Context: Toward a Revolution in STEM Education 
Made You Look: Statistics Through Data Visualization
Hands-On Puzzles