MSU’s New Institute for Research on Mathematics and Science Education
Michigan State University will expand its capacity to improve mathematics and science education across the nation through the creation of a new, interdisciplinary research center. The Institute for Research on Mathematics and Science Education is expected to bring together top scholars from the science and education fields and facilitate projects that can address the most pressing challenges related to learning math and science, from the kindergarten through college level.
The initial focus of the Institute will center on mathematics and science education in three content areas: biology, mathematics and physics. Geoscience, chemistry, astronomy and ecology/environmental sciences will also be areas of interest. Researchers will study issues in grades 7-12 and the first year or two of college. The Institute will encourage and cultivate projects around the three content areas that address issues related to preparing teachers, educating individuals seeking science-related careers or developing general mathematics and scientific literacy for the average citizen.
The institute’s interim director William Schmidt, a University Distinguished Professor in the College of Education, said excellent research on math and science education demands the involvement of biologists, chemists and other relevant subject-matter experts. “This institute provides support for collaborative work and increases it to a larger scale,” Schmidt said. “We know it’s really important for students to receive a strong foundation in math and science and this is about the research needed to accomplish that.”
The Institute is a joint collaboration of the College of Education and the College of Natural Science.
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