Knowles Elects New Trustees
Knowles Elects Education Professors from Montclair State University and the University of Mississippi and a Knowles Senior Fellow as Trustees
Moorestown, N.J., December 18, 2024 – The Knowles Teacher Initiative is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Joel Amidon, Knowles Senior Fellow Briana Clarke, and Dr. Doug Larkin to its Board of Trustees.
“Knowles is at a crucial juncture where supporting math and science teachers has never been more essential,” said Lawrence Tint, Chairman of the Knowles Board of Trustees. “We are thrilled to welcome Joel, Briana, and Doug to the Board. Their leadership and wealth of experience will be instrumental as we work toward our mission of advancing math and science education across the nation.”
Dr. Joel Amidon began his career as a high school math teacher in Wisconsin, where he contributed to the revision of Contemporary Mathematics in Context. With a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he currently serves as a Professor of Teacher Education and PhD Program Coordinator at the University of Mississippi. There, he focuses on preparing math teachers, mentoring doctoral students, and researching equitable pedagogical practices. Dr. Amidon has been recognized with multiple awards, including Teacher of the Year and Scholar of the Year honors from the University of Mississippi School of Education. In addition to publishing in several leading journals, he shares his passion for improving teaching through his website, amidonplanet.com, and podcasts including Teaching Math Teaching, Amidon Planet, and The Road to Better Teaching.
“The influence of a great teacher resonates far beyond the classroom—shaping students, schools, communities, and beyond. Knowles recognizes the profound importance of teachers and actively invests in the development of science and math teacher leaders. I am proud to serve as a Knowles Trustee,” stated Dr. Amidon.
Briana Clarke is a Knowles Senior Fellow with over eight years of teaching science. With a mission to make learning STEM accessible, Briana authored four series of virtual labs for 6-12th students in low income communities. However, Algebra4All, Chemistry4all, and Physics4All, became vital for all schools during the pandemic, reaching over 500 classrooms since then.
“As a Senior Fellow, I am excited to give back to an organization that has been instrumental in my journey as an educator and support its enduring impact on students across the United States,” said Briana Clarke.
Dr. Douglas B. Larkin has extensive experience in science education, including ten years as a high school physics teacher and service as a Peace Corps Volunteer teaching physics and math in Kenya and Papua New Guinea. Currently a Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Montclair State University in New Jersey, Dr. Larkin’s research focuses on preparing science teachers for culturally diverse classrooms and advancing equity and justice in teacher preparation. His most recent book, Teaching Science in Diverse Classrooms: Real Science for Real Students, was published in Spring 2020.
“Knowles has long provided an existence proof for how to effectively support and nurture early-career science and mathematics teachers, both individually and collectively, and I am proud to be able to work with such an inspiring group of educators as a member of the Board of Trustees,” said Dr. Larkin.
About the Knowles Teacher Initiative
The Knowles Teacher Initiative is a nonprofit organization that supports a national network of mathematics and science teachers who are collaborative, innovative leaders improving education for all students in the United States. We strive to create an educational system that is led by teachers who are equipped to solve difficult problems and respond to local challenges in order to serve all of our nation’s students.