Research Advisory Board

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  Barbara Oakley

  Distinguished Professor of Engineering Emerita, Oakland University

  Barbara Oakley is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering Emerita at Oakland University and the co-creator, with Terrence Sejnowski, of Learning How to Learn, which has reached more than six million learners worldwide. She is the author of A Mind for Numbers, Mindshift, Uncommon Sense Teaching, and Learn Like a Pro. She received the McGraw Prize in Education in 2023 and is a Fellow of the AAAS, IEEE, and AIMBE.

  “Modern Classrooms is built on the neuroscience of how learning really happens. Every lesson shows it—with wit and verve to match!”

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  Dylan Wiliam

  Emeritus Professor of Educational Assessment, UCL Institute of Education

  Dylan Wiliam is Emeritus Professor of Educational Assessment at the UCL Institute of Education, London. In a varied career, he has taught in urban public schools, directed a large-scale testing program, served a number of roles in university administration, including Dean of a School of Education, and pursued a research program focused on supporting teachers to develop their use of assessment in support of learning.

  “I am really excited to join MCP's Research Advisory Board because this work has the potential to make significant improvements to student outcomes worldwide.”

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  Daniel Ansari

  Professor and Canada Research Chair in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience & Learning, Western University

  Daniel Ansari is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience & Learning at Western University. Ansari and his team in the Numerical Cognition Laboratory explore how children develop numerical and mathematical skills and why some children struggle to acquire mathematical skills and knowledge. Ansari and his team are committed to bridging between the Science of Learning and K-12 Classrooms. Ansari is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS).

  “I am excited to join the advisory board of the Modern Classroom project because of the commitment to letting evidence guide the design of a highly impactful program designed to reach all learners.”

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  Paulo Carvalho

  Robert E. Kraut Assistant Professor, Human-Computer Interaction Institute, Carnegie Mellon University

  Dr. Paulo Carvalho is the Robert E. Kraut Assistant Professor in the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, where he leads the OAK Lab. His research sits at the intersection of the science of learning and educational technology, investigating how cognitive and motivational processes can inform the design of more effective, practice-first learning technologies. He builds AI-driven adaptive systems and studies how to scale them into real classrooms, from U.S. universities to rural Uganda. His work has consistently shown that replacing passive instruction with well-designed practice opportunities improves learning, efficiency, and motivation across subjects and populations. He is the recipient of an NSF CAREER Award and has received research funding from the Gates Foundation, IES, and the Walton Family Foundation, among others. He is an elected Fellow of the Psychonomic Society, has received multiple Best Paper Awards, and his work has been published in PNAS, Scientific Reports, and leading educational technology venues.

  “My research has convinced me that how students practice matters as much as what they practice. The Modern Classrooms Math Curriculum is built around that insight. Spaced retrieval, daily skill checks, and a commitment to practice over passive instruction are grounded in the science of learning, not just good intentions. I’m thrilled to support a project that takes that science this seriously and is determined to put it in the hands of every teacher, for free.”

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  Alex Kontorovich

  Distinguished Professor of Mathematics, Rutgers University; Founder and Executive Director, Rutgers Math Corps

  Alex Kontorovich received his BA from Princeton and PhD from Columbia, and taught at Brown, Stony Brook, and Yale, before moving to Rutgers, where he is currently a Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Mathematics. His pure mathematics research is in number theory, geometry, and dynamical systems, as well as formalized mathematics. He is also active in outreach, including having served as the Distinguished Visiting Professor for the Public Dissemination of Mathematics at the National Museum of Mathematics in NY, and making outreach videos with YouTube channels such as Veritasium, 3blue1brown, and Quanta Magazine which have collectively been viewed over 100M times. In 2023, Kontorovich brought to Rutgers a branch of the celebrated Math Corps summer day camp, which was founded in Detroit over 30 years ago.

  “I'm excited to join Modern Classrooms Project's Research Advisory Board and to support new, high-quality, mastery-based instruction, especially when the materials are open source and freely available to all.”

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  Sarah Powell

  Professor, The University of Texas at Austin

  Sarah R. Powell is a professor in the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin and associate director of the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk. Her research, teaching and service focus on mathematics, particularly for students who experience mathematics differently.

  “It's exciting to work with a team that's focusing on helping all students develop a strong foundation in algebra. Algebra can open doors to careers for students, so educators must have materials that help all students thrive.”

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  Paul Riccomini

  Professor, The Pennsylvania State University

  Dr. Paul Riccomini is a nationally recognized expert in mathematics education with over 30 years of experience as a classroom teacher, researcher, and teacher educator. With a degree in mathematics and dual certifications in high school mathematics and special education, Paul brings a unique combination of deep mathematical content knowledge, extensive classroom teaching experience, and expertise in evidence-based instructional practices. His work focuses on translating research from the learning sciences, cognitive science, and special education into practical, high intensity instructional techniques that improve mathematics teaching and learning. Drawing on his classroom experience and research, Paul collaborates with K–12 mathematics teachers and interventionists to design and implement effective instructional strategies that strengthen conceptual understanding, mathematical reasoning, problem solving, and long-term retention of mathematical knowledge. His approach emphasizes bridging the gap between research and classroom practice, providing educators with practical, research-based strategies that support the learning needs of all students, particularly those who struggle with mathematics.

  “I am excited to join The Modern Classroom's Research Advisory Board because of their commitment to bridging the gap between research and classroom practice. Their focus on applying the learning sciences and cognitive science to mathematics curriculum development aligns closely with my passion for translating research into effective instructional practices that improve mathematics teaching and learning for all students.”

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  Benjamin Solomon

  Associate Professor of School Psychology at the University at Albany, SUNY; evidence-based practice advocate

  Dr. Solomon's research examines evidence-based academic instruction, progress monitoring, research methods and statistics for education, and decision-making accuracy within MTSS, with a particular focus on math. He has published extensively in leading school psychology journals, advised state and federal education initiatives, and served as an external evaluator on large-scale education grants. His work bridges research, policy, and classroom practice and has been featured in national media outlets. He is a sought-after invited speaker on the science of math instruction.

  “I believe every child has a right to mathematical knowledge and the skills to make meaningful choices about their life and career. Modern Classrooms' approach to skill-building—grounded in powerful practices like explicit instruction and fluency development—can help make that aspiration a reality.”