Bondurant of MSU awarded outreach grant from Mathematical Association of America and Tensor Foundation

lping fund math outreach efforts across the U.S. and its territories this year.

Bondurant, an associate professor of secondary mathematics education at Mississippi State University, has been awarded a $6,000 grant from the MAA and Tensor Foundation for her project titled “CREATE Math—Cultivating Rehumanized Embodied Approaches To Education.” This initiative aims to establish mentoring relationships between female pre-service math teachers at MSU and local female math teachers, offering professional development opportunities centered around embodied approaches to math education.

Explaining the significance of the grant, Bondurant expressed her confidence in its positive impact on mathematics education in both Mississippi State University and the Starkville Oktibbeha School District. She highlighted the effectiveness of embodied approaches in teaching math by utilizing materials and bodily movements to make abstract mathematical concepts more accessible through tangible, real-life experiences.

Throughout the academic year 2025-26, participants in the project will delve into teaching methods grounded in embodied cognition, design lesson plans, receive necessary resources, and implement activities based on their learnings. Grant funds will be allocated towards teacher stipends, professional development opportunities, and classroom supplies to support the project’s implementation.

Female math educators from local schools and pre-service math teachers from MSU who are interested in participating in the project can reach out to Bondurant for further details via email at [email protected].

The Mathematical Association of America is sponsoring outreach projects for the year 2025, thanks to the generous support of donors such as the Tensor Foundation, Mary P. Dolciani Halloran Foundation, and John and Mary Neff Foundation. The Tensor Women and Mathematics grants provided by MAA aim to encourage female students at university and pre-college levels to pursue mathematical studies further.

Mississippi State University’s College of Education is a hub for academic excellence, housing five departments, a division of education, a research unit, and various service providers. For more information, visit www.educ.msstate.edu.

At Mississippi State University, the commitment to caring for what truly matters is evident in initiatives like Bondurant’s math outreach project. To learn more about their impactful work, visit www.msstate.edu.