Abby Rocha

Abby Rocha completed her Ph.D. in Mathematics Education at Arizona State University, where she was recognized with multiple awards for her research and teaching excellence. Abby’s research investigates relationships between teachers’ mathematical meanings and their actions while teaching. Her dissertation examined the relationships between teachers’ mathematical meanings for teaching, their commitment to quantitative reasoning as a critical way of thinking, and their instructional practices, including their actions to decenter. This research has contributed to new theory for improving mathematics teacher development while also contributing pragmatic solutions for designing mathematics teacher preparation courses and professional development seminars for undergraduate mathematics instructors. Currently, Abby is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the STEM Learning Center at the University of Arizona. During her fellowship, Abby’s research will focus on the Culturally Responsive Curriculum Development Institute. This initiative aims to support STEM faculty in engaging and integrating culturally responsive pedagogical and curricular practices through professional development for faculty teaching gateway lecture and lab courses. Abby views this work as a beginning phase of a larger research agenda focused on advancing mathematics teachers’ practice and, ultimately, students’ meaningful learning of mathematics.