معرفی
Neil J. Hatfield is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Statistics at Pennsylvania State University's Eberly College of Science. He holds a PhD in Mathematics Education from Arizona State University (2019), an MS in Mathematics Education from Northwest Missouri State University (2011), and a BS in Mathematics from Doane University (2009). His research focuses on Stochastics Education, emphasizing student cognition in statistics and probability, the impact of web applets on learning, and STEM diversity initiatives. He currently coordinates the Statistics and Data Science Education Working Group for the Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education SIG of the MAA.
- Education: PhD in Mathematics Education (ASU 2019), MS in Education (NWMSU 2011), BS in Mathematics (Doane 2009)
- Affiliations: Penn State (current), University of Northern Colorado (Visiting Assistant Professor), Arizona State University (Instructor)
His research explores how students develop conceptual understandings of stochastic processes, distributions, and probability. He develops educational technologies like the StatsTools JMP add-in and web-based applets (e.g., Fish Sampling, Four Rooms) to enhance statistical learning. Hatfield has received multiple teaching awards, including the Robert G. Maule Excellence in Teaching Mathematics Award (2017) and the Graduate Teaching Excellence Award (2016-2017).
Professional contributions include serving on the Board of the Bootstrap Organization and co-authoring influential papers on covariational reasoning across international teacher populations. His work bridges qualitative research methods with curriculum development, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to stochastic literacy.
