January 5, 2016 | Stefanie Dion Jones - Neag School of Education

UConn Names New Dean of Neag School of Education

Gladis Kersaint is currently associate dean of education at the University of South Florida and professor of mathematics education.

Neag School of Education degree candidates prepare for their Commencement procession at the Gentry Building on May 10, 2015. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

Gladis Kersaint will join the Neag School in July from the University of South Florida, where she's a professor of math education and associate dean. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

Gladis Kersaint. (University of South Florida Photo)
Gladis Kersaint. (University of South Florida Photo)

Gladis Kersaint has been named the new dean of the UConn’s Neag School of Education. Kersaint has been the associate dean of the College of Education at the University of South Florida (USF) since 2011, where she is also a professor of mathematics education.

Kersaint also held the David C. Anchin Endowed Chair in Education Innovation and from 2011 to 2014 served as director of the David C. Anchin Center, which supports innovation and the advancement of teaching. Previously, she served as coordinator of USF Undergraduate Education and chair of the General Education Council, a role with university-wide reach.

The appointment was announced by Provost Mun Choi. “Dr. Kersaint is a talented leader who has a distinguished scholarly career and clearly understands academic and educational excellence,” he said. “Her skills and background are exactly what we look for in our senior leadership.”

Adds UConn President Susan Herbst, “With an exemplary record of teaching and research, coupled with her impressive experience at the administrative level, Dr. Kersaint is an ideal choice to lead UConn’s distinguished Neag School of Education, where she will work to build and maintain its academic excellence in the years ahead.”

Kersaint says, “I am excited to be joining the UConn team and honored to serve as the next dean of the Neag School. It will be a privilege to lead such a prestigious school of education, and I am eager to partner with its high-caliber faculty, dedicated staff, and exceptional student body.”

Kersaint is also a well-respected scholar in mathematics education, with an extensive publication and national and local service record. She has published four books and numerous refereed journal articles related to factors that influence mathematics teacher education and effective mathematics teaching; the mathematical teaching and learning of at-risk students; and the use of technology in teaching and learning mathematics. During her tenure at USF, she has served as the principal or co-principal investigator of approximately $30 million of National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, and Florida Department of Education grants.

Kersaint has engaged in a number of collaborative STEM education projects involving faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering. She has also provided service at the national level, including serving as a member of the Board of Directors for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the largest professional organization for mathematics educators, and the Association on Mathematics Teacher Educators. Prior to her academic post at USF, Kersaint taught high school mathematics for the Miami-Dade County Public School district, the fourth-largest public school district in the nation.

She earned her BS in mathematics from the University of Miami in 1990, as well as her MS in education in 1992. She earned her Ph.D. in mathematics education from Illinois State University in 1998.

Kersaint will begin at UConn in July.