The EMC Research Team
Dr. David Yopp (co-Principal Investigator) is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Idaho. He has served as PI for one Idaho Department of Education state-funded mathematics and science partnership (MSP) and co-director for another state-funded MSP in Idaho. He also has served as the external evaluator of an Idaho state-funded MSP and the internal evaluator of a Montana state-funded MSP, both of which have a coaching component. Dr. Yopp has logged more than 100 mathematics coaching sessions, has trained others in mathematics coaching and has performed research on the quality of the coaching experience within the context of MSPs. He has published refereed papers in both mathematics and mathematics education.
Dr. Elizabeth Burroughs (co-PI) is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at Montana State University, Bozeman. Over the last decade she has led professional development for K-12 teachers in California and Montana, most recently supporting lesson study teams focused on algebra in the middle grades. She is currently a board member of the Montana Council of Teachers of Mathematics and serves on the Mathematical Association of America’s Committee on the Mathematical Education of Teachers. She is a former high school mathematics teacher with a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of New Mexico.
Dr. John T. Sutton (co-PI) is a Senior Research Associate at RMC Research Corporation in Denver. Dr. Sutton brings to his position 30 years of experience in project management, mathematics and science education reform, and project evaluation. He works with the RMC Research mathematics and science team on projects that include research, evaluation, technical assistance, professional development and product development targeting teachers, education leaders, faculty and administrators from pre-K through postsecondary. Dr. Sutton holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education and School Administration, an M.A. in Mathematics Education and a B.S. in Education with emphasis in Mathematics, all from the University of Iowa.
Brandie Good is a Research Associate at RMC Research Corporation in Denver. She has a background in quantitative research and analysis, data management, and evaluation of professional development in the areas of mathematics and science. Ms. Good is the project manager for the Nebraska MSP projects Nebraska Mathematics Professional Development Series and Keep Improving Content Knowledge and Skills 2, and for the Wyoming MSP Ready to Learn Math project. She has been active in other state-funded MSP projects including Rocky Mountain Middle School MSP, North Dakota MSP, Louisiana Math and Science Teacher Institute MSP, and the New Hampshire MSP, as well as NSF-funded projects including NebraskaMATH and Math in the Middle. She holds an M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies and a B.S. in Psychology from Iowa State University.
Dr. Mark Greenwood is an Associate Professor of Statistics at Montana State University, Bozeman. Dr. Greenwood’s research involves generalized additive mixed models, nonparametric multivariate techniques and model selection in nonlinear regression, time series and hierarchical modeling applications.
Clare Heidema is a Senior Research Associate at RMC Research Corporation in Denver. She has a background in teaching, curriculum development, professional development, dissemination and product development mostly in areas involving mathematics and literacy education. She is a former middle school, high school and college mathematics teacher with teaching experience at all levels from elementary school to graduate school. Ms. Heidema has conducted research for, and authored or contributed to, several publications, including Teaching Reading in Mathematics and EDThoughts: What We Know About Mathematics (Science) Teaching and Learning. She holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Mathematics and Teaching Certification from the University of Michigan, and she completed an M.S. and doctoral requirements (ABD) in Mathematics at Syracuse University.
Dr. Dan Jesse is a Senior Research Associate at RMC Research Corporation in Denver. He has 25 years of professional experience as an educational researcher and evaluator, and has authored or coauthored dozens of reports at the school, district, and state levels using a variety of advanced statistical techniques. He is the project director for the evaluation of the Idaho MSP, the validation of the Idaho Primary Mathematics assessment, and the Idaho Mathematical Thinking for Instruction Evaluation. He is currently a member of APA (American Psychological Association), AERA (American Educational Research Association), and SREE (Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness). Dr. Jesse received his B.A. in Psychology at Metropolitan State College of Denver, his M.A. in Experimental Psychology at New Mexico State University, and his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Innovation at the University of Colorado at Denver.
Dr. Jennifer Luebeck is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at Montana State University, Bozeman. Dr. Luebeck’s research focuses on developing systems to mentor and support rural mathematics teachers and designing distance learning to provide effective professional development in mathematics. She has directed several state-level mathematics and science partnerships in Montana and Colorado, and she has served as a consultant and researcher for three significant NSF projects. In addition, Dr. Luebeck has designed and delivered inquiry-based professional development in the Rocky Mountain region in the areas of mathematics content and pedagogy, assessment, mentoring and coaching, and lesson study.
Arlene Mitchell is a Senior Research Associate at RMC Research Corporation in Denver. She has a background in teaching, professional development and technical assistance in the area of mathematics. As a former classroom teacher at the secondary level for 25 years, Ms. Mitchell today works with teachers to make mathematics accessible for all students at the K-12 level. She contributed to the publication EDThoughts: What We Know About Mathematics (Science) Teaching and Learning and has worked on projects that have included evaluation of mathematics and science education reform efforts. She holds an M.A. in Mathematics, Emphasis on Education, from the University of Northern Colorado and a B.A. in Mathematics from Wittenberg University.
EMC District Leaders
Dr. Elizabeth Burroughs (MT)
Clare Heidema (CO)
Dr. Jennifer Kosiak (WI)
Dr. Jennifer Luebeck (ID, MT)
Connie Meade (ID)
Arlene Mitchell (CO)
Dr. Karma Nelson (MT)
Janeen Norland (ND)
Kathy Stover (ID)
Dr. John Sutton (CO, WA)
Judy Thomson (ND)
Dr. David Yopp (ID, MT)
The EMC National Advisory Board
Dr. Mark Driscoll, Co-Director, Center for Leadership and Learning Communities, Education Development Center, Boston.
Dr. Warren W. Esty, Professor of Mathematics, Montana State University, Bozeman.
Dr. Ruth M. Heaton, Associate Professor of Elementary Mathematics, Department of Teaching, Learning & Teacher Education, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Dr. Heather C. Hill, Professor of Education, Harvard University Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Mass.
Dr. Jim Parry, Senior Consultant and Former Director, Technology & Innovation in Education, Rapid City, S.D.