Mary Maxwell West

Senior Research Associate

Since joining PERG in 1993, Mary has worked primarily on evaluation and research on the Bob Moses Algebra Project. The work has included:

• An 11-year study of the development of the math department, and student outcomes, in one middle school;
• Studies of classroom discourse of two master teachers;
• Tracking student math course enrollment from Algebra Project middle schools into high school in three sites, with comparison groups;
• Collaborating with project-affiliated mathematicians, math educators, and professional development specialists, to study teacher development;
• Collaborating with the project's youth initiative to describe youth development;
• Coordinating researchers in various sites across the country.

Prior work
Prior to joining PERG, Mary was evaluator for an NSF-funded grant for development of mathematics teacher preparation programs at four Boston area universities; a grant for college Algebra materials development; a grant for dissemination of NSF-funded elementary and middle school math curricula. She also conducted research on the development of proportional reasoning, and on science teachers' use of a computer-based conferencing system. She was also Co-director of a national center, based at Harvard Graduate School of Education, for research on new technologies in math and science education.

Education

• Ed.D, Comparative Human Development, Harvard Graduate School of Education;
• B.A. Wellesley College