Joan Ferrini-Mundy to Become NSF Assistant Director for Education and Human Resources
February 24, 2011
Joan Ferrini-Mundy has been selected as the new assistant director of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR). She has held the position on an acting basis for the last year. EHR is the part of NSF that funds the majority of research and development in science education, including preparation of mathematics and science teachers, development of curriculum materials and educational technologies and research into the most effective strategies to promote science learning at all levels, inside and outside the classroom. EHR manages a number of programs created to recruit underrepresented groups into the sciences and other workforce development programs. "I am pleased to have someone of Joan's caliber leading the Education and Human Resources Directorate at a time when science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is increasingly vital to our country's future growth and competitiveness," said Subra Suresh, NSF director. Ferrini-Mundy's past work has included serving as director of the Division of Science and Mathematics Education at Michigan State University from 1999-2006, serving as a visiting scientist in NSF's Teacher Enhancement Program from 1989-1991, and working as director of the Mathematical Sciences Education Board and associate executive director of the Center for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education at the National Research Council from 1995-1999. Active in professional societies, Ferrini-Mundy has served on the board of directors of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and completed a term as a member of the board of governors of the Mathematical Association of America in 2006. In 2007-2008, representing NSF, she served as an ex officio member of the President's National Mathematics Advisory Panel, and co-chaired the Instructional Practices Task Group. She was the co-lead principal investigator for the multi-million dollar PROM/SE project, Promoting Rigorous Outcomes in Mathematics and Science Education before coming to NSF in 2007 as division director for the Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings. Ferrini-Mundy came to NSF from Michigan State University where she was a University Distinguished Professor of Mathematics Education.