Ed Dickey is a professor of mathematics, associate department chair of instruction and teacher education, and a director of the Office of Educational Outreach at the University of South Carolina. In addition to his significant contributions at USC, he has also taught at Columbia College and in the Richland County School District.
Dickey's career has been spent encouraging students to become STEM teachers, implementing instructional technology to facilitate learning, and leveraging his abilities to contribute to a multitude of professional organizations.
Dickey has always been intrigued by the intersection of mathematics and technology. He was fascinated by the mechanical calculator that his high school teacher had brought into the classroom and later, as teacher himself, purchased his school's the first Apple II computer. Dickey was motivated by the opportunities afforded by technology to improve mathematics education. In addition, he credits the 1984 NCTM Yearbook, Computers in Mathematics Education, for bringing algebra systems into mainstream mathematics education.
According to one nominator, “Ed is creative and consistently finds ways to take his fresh ideas and big-picture thinking and translate it into meaningful opportunities for others.”
Dickey has presented at almost every conference of the South Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics over the last 25 years. He has presented papers at various conferences in 13 different countries over the course of his career, demonstrating his commitment to sharing his expertise with the international community.
“Ed is a phenomenal teacher who does not give away answers but helps his students by asking more questions,” wrote another nominator. “He constantly challenged me to 'get out of my comfort zone' but at the same time provided a safe working environment for taking risks.
A member of NCTM for more than 38 years, Dickey has demonstrated an enduring commitment to the professional growth of his students, colleagues, and teachers. His dedication has been evident through faithful service to NCTM and the math education community. He was nominated for the NCTM Board of Directors in 1996, 1998, and 2008, served on the Council's High School Institute Task Force, founded its first online journal, ON-Math, and has served NCTM in other numerous capacities in support of future mathematics teachers.