ACT UP Math

Achieving Critical Transformation in Undergraduate Programs of Mathematics

FreePik

Overview

The disparities in achievement and access for marginalized students are well documented, but there remains a lack of attention to what to do with this knowledge and how to measure the impact of improvement efforts beyond pass rates and demographics. While many university mathematics departments value providing diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) student experiences, the faculty often do not have the professional training to engage with DEI work or measure its progress, which can lead to disengagement from these initiatives.

ACT UP (a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation) aims to conduct foundational research to identify the mechanisms and structures that best support mathematics stakeholders in making data-informed decisions to promote DEI and critically transform introductory mathematics courses and programs. This project builds on the strength of two prior national studies of introductory mathematics programs, Progress through Calculus and Student Engagement in Mathematics through an Institutional Network for Active Learning (SEMINAL). Three undergraduate mathematics department teams will work in partnership with educational researchers to analyze their local data, in comparison to the national sample.

In partnership with: California State University East Bay, Clemson University, Colorado State University, Duke University, and Kennesaw State University

Goals

1

Conducting basic, use-inspired foundational research related to departments’ use of data in their equity work with the goal of shifting the focus from strictly student outcomes to also include consideration of students’ lived experiences in introductory mathematics courses, leading to critical transformations.

2

Studying the enactment of networked improvement communities involving educational researchers and mathematics department stakeholders, aiming to increase the effectiveness and impact of mathematics departments’ uses of data to improve diversity, equity and inclusion.

3

Interrogating the mechanisms underlying data-informed decision-making with key mathematics department stakeholders to critically address topics and issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in their introductory mathematics programs.

STEM stakeholders are aware of the differences in mathematics outcomes among students of different races, socio-economic statuses, genders, and other identities, and stakeholders need support to develop more nuanced understandings of the factors contributing to these differences and to translate their understanding into action.

Participating Sites

Three universities were chosen in order to represent a variety of institution types, along with their readiness to engage with DEI issues in their undergraduate programs:

csu logo

California State University East Bay

CSU East Bay is a public Master’s degree-granting university with moderate research activity and is one of the most diverse higher education institutions among the participating SEMINAL sites.

Local Leaders

  • Simone Sisneros-Thiry
  • Julia Olkin
  • Andrea Arauza Rivera

duke logo

Duke University

Duke University is a private not-for-profit highly-selective doctoral degree-granting university that is research-intensive, located in North Carolina. Introductory math courses at Duke are taught primarily in large courses taught by teaching faculty with a group-work focused recitation once a week led by a graduate teaching assistant.

Local Leaders

  • Tori Akin
  • Shira Viel
  • Maria Tackett

ksu logo

Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State University is a public, doctoral degree-granting, comprehensive university with an R2 Carnegie classification located in Georgia. As a participating SEMINAL site, most math courses are taught in small classes with some faculty using active learning strategies.

Local Leaders

  • Kadian Callahan
  • Benjamin Sloop
  • Katie Christensen

Research Team

wendy smith portrait

Wendy Smith
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

wsmith5@unl.edu

Principal Investigator

wendy smith portrait

Jess Ellis Hagman
Colorado State University

jess.ellis@colostate.edu

Principal Investigator

matt voigt portrait

Matt Voigt
Clemson University

mkvoigt@clemson.edu

Principal Investigator

matt voigt portrait

Nancy Kress
University of Colorado Boulder

Nancy.Kress@colorado.edu

Principal Investigator

matt voigt portrait

Amy Bennett
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

abennett14@unl.edu

Senior Personnel

matt voigt portrait

Trish Wonch Hill
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

phill3@unl.edu

Senior Personnel

rachel funk portrait

Rachel Funk
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

rachel.funk@unl.edu

Research Associate

kelsey quaisley portrait

Kelsey Quaisley
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

kquigley@huskers.unl.edu

Graduate Research Associate

simone portrait

Simone Sisneros-Thiry
California State University East Bay

simone.sisnerosthiry@csueastbay.edu

Senior Personnel

julia olkin portrait

Julia Olkin
California State University East Bay

Julia.olkin@csueastbay.edu

Senior Personnel

andrea rivera portrait

Andrea Arauza Rivera
California State University East Bay

andrea.arauzarivera@csueastbay.edu

Senior Personnel

Kadian Callahan portrait

Kadian Callahan
Kennesaw State University

kcallah6@kennesaw.edu

Senior Personnel

Benjamin Sloop portrait

Benjamin Sloop
Kennesaw State University

bsloop@kennesaw.edu

Senior Personnel

Katie Christensen portrait

Katie Christensen
Kennesaw State University

kchris53@kennesaw.edu

Senior Personnel

Tori Akin portrait

Tori Akin
Duke University

victoria.akin@duke.edu

Senior Personnel

Shira Viel portrait

Shira Viel
Duke University

viel@math.duke.edu

Senior Personnel

Maria Tackett portrait

Maria Tackett
Duke University

maria.tackett@duke.edu

Senior Personnel

destinee cooper portrait

Destinee Cooper
Clemson University

dkjohns@g.clemson.edu

Graduate Research Associate

margaret ann bolick portrait

Margaret Ann Bolick
Clemson University

bolick4@g.clemson.edu

Graduate Research Associate

rachel tremaine portrait

Rachel Tremaine
Colorado State University

tremainecsu@gmail.com

Graduate Research Associate

emmanuel barton-ordo portrait

Emmanuel Barton-Odro
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

bartonodroe.excellency@gmail.com

PostDoc

lindsay augustyn portrait

Lindsay Augustyn
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

laugustyn2@unl.edu

Staff

Advisory Board

Our Advisory Board members provide us with formative feedback by reviewing key plans, project activities, and findings. Virtual meetings provide opportunities for discussion among the ACT UP Math leadership team and advisory board.

wendy smith portrait

Nathan Alexander
Morehouse college

Assistant Professor

wendy smith portrait

Tessa Andrews
University of Georgia

Adjunct Associate Professor

wendy smith portrait

Chris Jett
Georgia State University

Associate Professor

wendy smith portrait

Luis Leyva
Vanderbilt University

Assistant Professor

wendy smith portrait

Allison Mattheis
California State University, Los Angeles

Associate Professor

wendy smith portrait

Hortensia Soto
Colorado State University

Professor

wendy smith portrait

Kimberly Espinoza
Colorado State University

Student

wendy smith portrait

Abigail Smith
Clemson University

Student

wendy smith portrait

Cleve Young
University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Student

nsf logo ACT UP Math is supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation (DUE-2201486). All ACT UP Math activities and findings are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agency.