Current Lab Members

Visit Dr. Barbieri's Personal Site Here!

Lab Director

Christina Areizaga Barbieri, PhD

Associate Professor, University of Delaware School of Education | barbieri@udel.edu

Dr. Christina Areizaga Barbieri is an Associate Professor at University of Delaware’s School of Education within the Educational Statistics and Research Methods Ph.D program and the Learning Sciences specialization. She also teaches in the Elementary Teacher Education (ETE) program. Dr. Barbieri is currently the Associate Director of Graduate Studies for the School of Education at the University of Delaware. She earned her Bachelors in Psychology (minor: Education) from the City University of New York (CUNY) and gained her first research experiences through the NSF-funded Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) in STEM research apprenticeship program. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Temple University in 2015 before becoming a postdoctoral researcher through an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Postdoctoral Training grant focused on bridging research between education and cognitive science. Dr. Barbieri then held a Research Scientist position on an IES grant focused on examining causal pathways between fraction and algebra learning before moving on to begin her current tenure-track position at the University of Delaware.

Dr. Barbieri’s research program focuses on understanding and implementing the types of opportunities students need to thrive in mathematics classrooms, whether that be in the form of specific types of instructional tools or in a climate that fosters positive mathematics attitudes. Though there are many factors that impact mathematics learning and development both in and outside the classroom, Dr. Barbieri’s work focuses on factors that are within control of teachers and administrators: design and effectiveness of instructional tools. More specifically, her work is centered on using principles from cognitive and learning sciences to improve mathematics competencies, especially for those who struggle more with mathematics. A necessary component of designing instructional tools to support mathematics learning is to understand the specific concepts, procedures, and types of knowledge that students struggle with most. Thus, some of her work focuses on examining students’ demonstrated knowledge as well as mathematical misconceptions and misunderstandings (i.e., incorrect or partial understandings of mathematical concepts). To date, her research has focused primarily on algebra and fractions, both gateway topics for success in STEM disciplines and careers. However, forthcoming work also focuses on high school geometry learning (IES Grant: R305A190126).

Dr. Barbieri is a Latina and a first-generation college graduate. She attributes her current successes to a supportive family and growing up attending a well-funded diverse public school system in New York that afforded her many opportunities not available elsewhere. Yet she is fully aware that the educational opportunities she was given are the exception and not the rule for URM students. As such, she is particularly concerned with mathematics instruction and learning opportunities in school settings that serve underrepresented racial and ethnic minority students. A second growing line of her work examines the role that students’ beliefs about mathematics (and about themselves in relation to mathematics) play in learning as well as the types of opportunities students need to support those positive beliefs.

Outside of her work, you will find Dr. Barbieri traveling, exploring new foods, laughing too loud, and spending time with family including her two children that she can’t stop talking about.

Lab Manager

Fernando Duran

B.A. Undergraduate Student | Fduran@udel.edu

Fernando Duran, also known as Nando, is an undergraduate at University of Delaware. Currently majoring in Psychology and a minor in Human Development and Family Services. Interested in research pertaining to children behavior and mental health. Fun fact Nando is currently a member of the club Water Polo team at UD.

Doctoral Student Collaborators

Elena Silla, M.Ed.

Graduate Research Assistant | esilla@udel.edu

Elena is a graduate student working primarily with Dr. Barbieri. She is interested in mathematics learning and instruction in the elementary and middle grades, specifically students’ strategy choice and flexibility, sense of belonging to mathematics, and mathematics motivation. Before starting as a graduate student at UD, she worked as a 4th grade teacher in California. She also worked as a project manager in the Cognitive Development and Communication Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Outside of work, she loves running, drinking (lots of) coffee, eating Playa Bowl with her cohort-mates, exploring Delaware, and spending time with her husband and pets.

Taylor-Paige Guba, B.A.

Graduate Research Assistant | guba@udel.edu

Guba is a third-year PhD student in Learning Sciences working with Dr. Nancy Jordan and Dr. Christina Barbieri. She received her undergraduate degrees from Indiana University in 2021 in Cognitive Science and Jewish Studies with a minor in Linguistics. Her research interests include math cognition, language cognition, metacognition, critical thinking, and creative thinking. Guba’s favorite parts of the research process are designing experiments, analyzing data, and mentoring newer researchers. One non-research fun fact about Guba is that she loves to cook and bake complex foods. Guba works primarily with Dr. Nancy Jordan, but the M-cubed lab is happy to borrow her when we can!

Megan Botello, M.A.

Graduate Student | mbotello@udel.edu

Meg is a doctoral candidate in the Education program with a specialization in Learning Sciences. She earned her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Counseling from Nevada State University. She currently works with Dr. Nancy Jordan, implementing a Fraction Sense Intervention for students with Math Learning Difficulties and Dr. Amanda Jansen implementing “Rough Draft Math” in middle school classrooms. Her research interests include mathematics motivation and learning at the student and teacher level.

Andrew Rodrigues, M.A.

Graduate Student | arodri@udel.edu

Andrew is a doctoral student in the Education program with a specialization in Learning Sciences. He works with Drs. Jessica Namkung and Christina Barbieri, focusing on students with mathematics learning difficulties and the motivational factors that influence their achievement. His research interests center on mathematics and statistics motivation and how innovative teaching technologies, particularly artificial intelligence tools, can be leveraged to personalize instruction, enhance student engagement, and improve learning outcomes.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Samantha Paez

B.A. Undergraduate Student | sampaez@udel.edu

Samantha Paez is a junior undergraduate student at the University of Delaware pursuing a B.A. in Computer Science and minors in Interactive Media and Game Studies. Though her current plan is to pursue Web Development after graduation, Samantha joined the M^3 lab in order to explore the various ways computer science can be useful and explore different career paths. She is currently interested in how computers can be used in daily life and how they can be used to advance learning. Outside of academics, Samantha spends her time running, weightlifting, reading, playing video games with friends, traveling with her family, and listening to broadway musicals.

Nicole Kalinowski

B.A. Undergraduate Student

Nicole Kalinowski is a sophomore psychology student at the University of Delaware. She hopes to become a criminal psychologist or a psychiatrist in the future. This is Nicole’s first research lab and is excited to work and learn with the team! She is also currently a peer support at sean’s house. In her free time she loves hanging with friends and dancing.

Kim Steinberg

B.S. Undergraduate Student | kimstei@udel.edu

Kim Steinberg is a first year undergraduate student studying nursing in the Honors college at the University of Delaware. She currently plans on either working in pediatric intensive care or in labor and delivery following graduation. She also has plans on going to graduate school, for a masters degree, and plans to work as a nurse practitioner. On campus, Kim is also involved in the Women in Healthcare Club, Student Nursing Organization, and the Eagles Autism Foundation. She is also an active yoga club member!

Julio Cesar Carrillo Soto

Undergraduate Student | julioccs@udel.edu

Julio Carrillo is a current junior majoring in Statistics with a minor in Computer Science. He is an aspiring data scientist who wishes to make an impact in anything he does by doing what he loves, math. Even though he is fairly new in the field of research, he is ready to give it his all in this new challenge.

Danielle Mendez-Castro

Undergraduate Student | danimc@udel.edu

My name is Danielle Mendez-Castro. I am currently a junior studying neuroscience with minors in forensic science and biological sciences. I hope to go to grad school and become a neuropsychologist or a forensic psychologist. On campus I am a part of the World Scholars community as well as in the Phi Sigma Pi organization.