Teruni Lamberg, professor of Elementary Mathematics Education, has been elected to serve on the Research in Mathematics Special Interest Group at the American Educational Research Association as a junior co-chair. The American Educational Research Association is a national organization aiming to encourage the research of education and the use of that research for the public good. As an officer of the Research in Mathematics Special Interest Group, Lamberg will focus specifically on mathematics research, responsible for organizing communications between different research groups and running meetings in a smooth and efficient way.

“This organization is a part of a larger education research organization,” Lamberg said. “The specific branch that I got elected to focuses on research in mathematics education. We look at how children learn math and how teachers teach math. It's important for improving mathematics education and preparing teachers.”

After Lamberg has served for one year on the board, she will become the senior co-chair. New responsibilities will include serving as a direct liaison between the group and the American Educational Research Association and general administration duties of the group. Some of Lamberg’s other work includes serving on the board of Nevada Math Council, serving twice as the Chair for the Psychology of Mathematics Education Northern American Chapter, an international research organization (USA, Canada and Mexico), and was the Principal Investigator for the Nevada Mathematics Project, a statewide math initiative. Her research and outreach focus on helping improve  how math and science are being taught across the Silver State and beyond. For Lamberg, these projects and this new research appointment are all a means to an end: a way to help students across the country discover their passion for learning.

“I started out as a teacher, and I loved kids when I left the classroom,” Lamberg said. “I only left with the thought that if I'm leaving the classroom, it's to impact more kids, to give kids more access and opportunities. Most of all, I think what excites me is to get kids excited about learning, because learning can be a joyful thing. And, very often, a lot of people don't see it that way.”

The special interest group is made up of leading educational mathematics education scholars across the country. The organization brings together some of the premiere scholars in the field to learn from each other and push the envelope of mathematics research.  In the past, the group has even provided awards for outstanding research contributions or for distinguished scholars in the educational research field.

“The biggest impact is looking at the research that's coming out and having collective conversations of what works, what does not work and seeing directions that people can go,” Lamberg said.  “Obviously, people are going to be doing their own lines of research, but just having like a think tank, a group to push the thinking, Is what's exciting about this role.”