The Dana Center’s dedication to equity, access, and excellence has its roots in Dr. Uri Treisman’s research that led to his development of the Emerging Scholars Program. Throughout our history, our work has always been grounded in these values. We advocate for high academic standards, build the capacity of education systems, and work to implement innovative practices at scale. In all our work, we are dedicated to nurturing students’ intellectual passions and ensuring that the accident of where a student lives does not limit his or her access to an excellent education.

How can we enable all students—especially those who are underserved—to achieve postsecondary success? This question guides our work to develop education tools and resources that are worthy of those we serve. It is why we collaborate with states and districts to provide sustained technical assistance, convene national networks, and create professional development programs and resources to help educators. It challenges us to identify stumbling blocks for students and develop innovative courses to encourage persistence, reshape academic identities, and build critical skills and knowledge. It drives us to advocate for rigorous academic standards and help education systems ensure that all students can master the content and practices described in these standards. Finally, it is why we strive to ensure that these efforts move beyond labs and pilots and into classrooms and campuses across the country.

The Dana Center team brings a wealth of experience and education—and a deep commitment—to our work to enable all students to achieve postsecondary success. We have multilayered expertise in mathematics and science education, leadership, research and program evaluation, literacy, policy and systemic reform, and services to high-need populations. Many of us have advanced degrees in mathematics, mathematics education, engineering, curriculum and instruction, or education administration or policy. Dana Center staff bring to our work a rich collective expertise in classroom teaching, instructional leadership, education administration, curriculum development, and national leadership in organizations such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Academy of Sciences Mathematical Sciences Education Board, and the Advisory Committee of the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices in STEM Education. We carry out most of our work through project-specific teams, which enable us to rapidly iterate design, development, and review, leading to fast delivery of high-quality resources and services. We strive for nimbleness and a balance between evolutionary work—building on what has worked in the past—and revolutionary work—innovating new solutions to emerging issues.