Fostering a Sense of Belonging & Instructional Transparency for Every Learner

Dr. Abbe Herzig teaches mathematics at Sarah Lawrence College and at several prisons through the Bard Prison Initiative. She has provided mathematics faculty across the U.S. with evidence-based professional development on equitable practices, online teaching, creating inclusive classrooms, and mentoring for equity. She advised the American Association for the Advancement of Science on developing tools for academic STEM departments, professional societies, and institutions to assess and address the impacts of their practices and policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion. With Dr. Winger, she is a co-lead of the COME-IN project (Creating Opportunities in Mathematics through Equity and Inclusion), a 2-year project that trains mathematicians as change agents and supports departments in DEI initiatives. Previously, she served as the Director of Education at the American Mathematical Society and was on the faculties of the School of Education at the University at Albany and the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University.

Dr. Aris Winger is an associate professor of mathematics at Georgia Gwinnett College. His current work centers around creating spaces where marginalized groups feel a sense of belonging in mathematics and STEM. This mission has led him to co-authoring a book series Advocating for Students of Color in Mathematics and conducting numerous professional learning workshops and consulting around the United States, working with educators and administrators at all levels. With Dr. Herzig, he is a co-lead of the COME-IN project (Creating Opportunities in Mathematics through Equity and Inclusion), supported by an NSF INCLUDES grant to support a 2-year project that trains mathematicians as change agents and supports departments in DEI initiatives. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the National Association of Mathematicians.

Throughout her faculty experiences at a public Hispanic-serving institution and at a private liberal arts college, Christine has promoted equity and worked to advance inclusive excellence, facilitating learning which applies to and enriches the lives of preservice and in-service teachers alike. Many students have never known how strong their mathematical skills are because they were never given permission to share their own strategies and come to their own understanding of mathematical concepts. Christine strives to change that experience, allowing for student success and opening doors to populations who may not have yet recognized themselves as part of higher education communities. Her most fulfilling moments are connecting with students, encouraging their questions and providing them space to grow as teachers and learners.