Biography:
Nicole Michelle Joseph is an American mathematician and scholar of mathematics education. Her research primarily focuses on the experiences of African-American girls and women in mathematics, the effects of white supremacist reactions to their work in mathematics, and the intersectional nature of educational inequity.
Joseph grew up in Seattle and had an early love for mathematics, which was nurtured in an advanced and self-paced classroom. However, she faced adversity when she had a fall-out with a racist teacher in elementary school. This experience further fueled her passion for advocating for equitable access to mathematics education.
She pursued her undergraduate studies at Seattle University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in mathematics in 1993. After a few years in the business world, Joseph transitioned into education and worked as a middle school and elementary school mathematics teacher, as well as a mathematics coach in the Seattle area from 1999 to 2011. During this time, she also pursued further studies at Pacific Oaks College Northwest, where she obtained a teaching certification for Washington in 2000 and a master’s degree in human development in 2003.
In 2011, Joseph completed her Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction at the University of Washington. Her doctoral dissertation, titled Black Students and Mathematics Achievement: A Mixed-Method Analysis of In-School and Out-of-School Factors Shaping Student Success, was supervised by James A. Banks. That same year, she earned a national certification in adolescent mathematics teaching through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Joseph began her academic career as an assistant professor at the University of Denver in 2011, focusing on educating future mathematics teachers. She later joined Vanderbilt University in 2016 and was granted tenure as an associate professor in 2021. At Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development, she serves as an associate professor of mathematics education in the Department of Teaching and Learning.
Throughout her career, Joseph has contributed significantly to the field of mathematics education. She has authored and edited several books, including Interrogating Whiteness and Relinquishing Power: White Faculty’s Commitment to Racial Consciousness in STEM Classrooms (2016), co-edited with C. M. Haynes and F. Cobb, and Understanding the Intersections of Race, Gender, and Gifted Education: An Anthology by and About Talented Black Girls and Women in STEM (2020).
Her most recent book, Making Black Girls Count in Math: A Black Feminist Vision of Transformative Teaching, published by Harvard Education Press in 2022, further highlights her dedication to promoting equity and creating inclusive mathematics classrooms.
Joseph’s work in mathematics education has not gone unnoticed. In 2023, she was awarded the Louise Hay Award by the Association for Women in Mathematics. This prestigious award recognizes her contributions to mathematics education that reflect the values of taking risks and nurturing students’ academic talent.
Nicole M. Joseph continues to be an influential figure in the field of mathematics education, advocating for equity and inspiring future generations of mathematicians.
Awards:
– Winner of the 2023 Louise Hay Award of the Association for Women in Mathematics