Karisma Morton, PhD

Karisma Morton is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of North Texas. In her research she investigates the nuanced ways racial/ethnic inequalities in students’ opportunities to learn mathematics occur within and across schools, and how racialized learning experiences in mathematics impact BIPOC students’ attitudes towards STEM learning and careers. Her research is composed of two strands of inquiry. In the first strand she focuses on patterns of inequality in access to rigorous mathematics content through the quantitative analyses of large-scale district and national datasets. In the second strand of inquiry she explores the impact of reform and equity-based mathematics curriculum and pedagogy for promoting positive mathematics identity and mathematical literacy for all students. When exploring these strands, Dr. Morton is particularly interested in the influence of school context (e.g., school racial/ethnic composition) on learning opportunities, experiences and outcomes. Much of Dr. Morton's interest in racial/ethnic inequality in mathematics education stems from her experiences as a Black woman with two degrees in mathematics, a secondary mathematics teacher in a Title I school with a predominantly Black and Latinx student population, and as a mother of two Black elementary-aged boys.