Closing Keynote: A Seat at the Table: Equity and Social Justice in Mathematics Education

As mathematics educators, we often pride ourselves in our ability to communicate the joy and beauty of mathematics to our students. To watch a student's face light up over a clever mathematical idea still gives me goose bumps. Over time, I realized that I wasn't allowing my students to engage in mathematics in ways that were meaningful to them. In recent years, I've learned to build upon my students' identity and lived experiences by incorporating rigorous, relevant mathematical experiences into the classroom environment. These experiences not only provide deep mathematical learning but also give students the mathematical knowledge to advocate for justice in our communities. In this talk, I'll share the tangible ways in which we can invite our students to have a seat at the mathematical table. I'll also highlight the work I've been doing in our community with underrepresented girls and parents to promote mathematical learning and achievement.

Talithia Williams is a host of the PBS series, NOVA Wonders, a popular TED speaker, inspiring author, and passionate STEM/STEAM advocate. Her latest book, Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics, reflects her passion to rebrand the field of mathematics as anything but dry, technical, or male-dominated. Dr. Williams is Associate Dean for Research and Experiential Learning and Associate Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, where she develops statistical models that emphasize the spatial and temporal structure of data, and applies them to real-world problems. She has won the Mathematical Association of America's Henry L. Alder Award for distinguished teaching and has developed a 24-part college-level online lecture series on learning statistics for The Great Courses.

General Interest