Reston, Va., May 16, 2013
-Diane J. Briars began her term as president-elect of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) at the conclusion of the Council's 2013 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Denver on April 20. Briars will serve one year as president-elect (2013-2014), working closely with President Linda M. Gojak before assuming the full duties of president for a two-year term beginning in the spring of 2014.
Looking ahead to her time as president-elect, Briars said, "My highest priority is ensuring equity and excellence for all students, which I have pursued as a teacher, researcher, district leader, and leader for various national organizations. I am committed to advancing NCTM's mission to support mathematics educators to provide high-quality mathematics curriculum, instruction and assessment for all students."
Briars served as the mathematics director for Pittsburgh Public Schools from 1986 to 2006. She is now senior developer and research associate for the NSF-funded Intensified Algebra Project, a joint venture of the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Texas at Austin, and technology company Agile Mind, and she is also a mathematics education consultant in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Briars has served in many roles with NCTM over the years, including as a member of NCTM's Board of Directors (1994-97) and a writer for the 1989
Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics
.
Briars has had leadership roles of other national organizations, including service as president of the Na
tional Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM) and as a trustee of The College Board.
Among the honors that Briars has received is the Outstanding Contributions to Mathematics Supervision Award from the Pennsylvania Council of Leaders of Mathematics, a Gold Star Award for Mathematics Education from the Pittsburgh Council of Public Education, and the Outstanding Mathematics Educator Award from the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics. In 2004, the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
recognized her as one of the "Top 5 Educators of Western Pennsylvania."
Briars holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in mathematics and a PhD in mathematics education, all from Northwestern University, and she did postdoctoral study in the Department of Psychology at Carnegie-Mellon University.
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is a public voice of mathematics education, providing vision, leadership, and professional development to support teachers in ensuring mathematics learning of the highest quality for all students. With more than 80,000 members and 230 Affiliates, NCTM is the world's largest organization dedicated to improving mathematics education in prekindergarten through grade 12.
Contact:
Tracy Withrow,
[email protected]
, 703-620-9840, ext. 2189, Communications Manager, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.