Dr. Ruthmae Sears
Director

Dr. Sears is an Associate Professor at the University of South Florida. Her research focuses on curriculum issues, the development of reasoning and proof skills, clinical experiences in secondary mathematics, and the integration of technology in the teaching and learning of mathematics. She coordinates developmental mathematics courses, and the undergraduate and master’s degree program in mathematics education.

Dr. Sears is actively engage in scholarly activities. She is the principal investigator for the NSF-IUSE funded collaborative grant (#1726362) entitled “Attaining Excellence in Secondary Mathematics Clinical Experiences with a Lens on Equity”. Dr. Sears is also a co-principal investigator for the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program; and a key personnel for the NSF funded grant (#1525574) Systemic Transformation of Education through Evidence-Based Reforms.

In addition to her research activities, Dr. Sears is the co-chair of the Network of STEM Education Centers (NSEC) Annual Meeting, and the University of South Florida Representative for the Bay View Alliance-Diversity Equity and Inclusion Working Group. Dr. Sears is also the co-chair for the Accelerating Systemic Change Network (ASCN) in STEM Higher Education Working group for Equity and Inclusion. Additionally, she is the associate editor for the NCTM journal, Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PreK-12 (MTLT), for the high school grade band. Dr. Sears is also the Florida Department of Education – State Course Numbering System (SCNS) Discipline Coordinator in the field of Mathematics Education. Currently Dr. Sears serves as the chair of the University of South Florida – College of Education Faculty Policy Council Ad-hoc Committee for the Faculty Constitution.

Dr. Sears was the 2016 Florida Association of Mathematics Teacher Educator (FAMTE) -Mathematics Teacher Educator of the Year. She is also the 2018 USF Chapter of National Council of Negro Women – Katherine Johnson Mathematics Award Recipient. Dr. Sears previously received the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mid Missouri Heroes award, and the VEX robotics volunteer of the year award. In her spare time, she volunteers with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay.

Dr. Sears was a recipient of the Organization of American States Fellowship Award, Lyford Cay Foundation Graduate Scholarship Award, Kappa Delta Pi Hollis Caswell Doctoral Award, Center for The Study of Mathematics Curriculum (CSMC) fellowship award, and the University of Missouri Mathematics Education Scholarship Award.