The Graduate School and Institute of Pastoral Studies Commencement Addresses

Danny Bernard Martin

PhD · Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science, University of Illinois at Chicago

Danny Bernard Martin, PhD, is a professor of education and mathematics at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Dr. Martin received a Bachelor of Science in Mathermatics and Physics from Caroll College. He then received a Master of Arts in Mathematics and Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics Education from University of California Berkley.

Dr. Martin teaches mathematics content and methods courses in the undergraduate elementary education program, as well as courses in the Doctor of Philosophy program in mathematics and science education. He served as Department Chair of Curriculum and Instruction from 2006 to 2011 and again from 2013 to 2016.

Prior to joining UIC, he was an instructor and professor in the Department of Mathematics at Contra Costa College for 14 years, serving as department chair for three years. He also served as principal investigator on two National Science Foundation grants in the Center for Science Excellence. In 2001, he was Teacher of the Year in the Contra Costa Community College District. He was a National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow from 1998 to 2000. Dr. Martin is the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award winner of the Benjamin Banneker Association.

Martin’s research has focused primarily on understanding the salience of race and identity in Black learners’ mathematical experiences. His empirical research spans from early childhood to post-secondary contexts, and also focuses on Black parents and families. His work is situated at the intersection of mathematics education, identity, and racial justice. Martin is author of Mathematics Success and Failure Among African Youth, co-author of “The Impact of Identity in K–8 Mathematics Learning and Teaching," editor of “Mathematics Teaching, Learning, and Liberation in the Lives of Black Children," and co-editor of “The Brilliance of Black Children in Mathematics: Beyond the Numbers and Toward New Discourse."

Martin’s scholarship has helped moved mathematics education forward, particularly in terms of the research and understanding of Black learners and how they experience mathematics. His rigorous research and timely advocacy have extended the field beyond analyses that focus on failure, instead foregrounding the voices of Black learners and the mathematics educators committed to their success.