Rochelle Gutierrez

Rochelle Gutierrez is a Professor in the Curriculum & Instruction department at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign's College of Education. She also holds appointments in Latina/Latino Studies and the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. Her scholarly work focuses on issues of identity and power in mathematics education, particularly examining how race, class, and language affect teaching and learning experiences for marginalized students.

Gutierrez's research challenges deficit views of Latinx, Black, and Indigenous students, arguing that effective mathematics teaching requires more than content knowledge or pedagogical skills—it demands political knowledge. Her recent scholarship explores the concept of 'living mathematx,' which decenters humans in mathematical thinking and draws on Indigenous principles. She examines how uncertainty, tensions, and 'Nepantla' (a Nahuatl term for a threshold space between worlds) shape teaching practices in high-stakes educational environments.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on political dimensions of mathematics teaching, identity formation, and rehumanizing mathematics. Her work increasingly integrates Indigenous knowledge systems and critiques of Western mathematical epistemologies, while maintaining a commitment to social justice and equity in mathematics education. The research spans qualitative methodologies and theoretical frameworks from critical race theory to decolonial perspectives.

• NAEd Member (2025)
• AERA Fellow (2024)
• TODOS Iris M. Carl Equity and Leadership Award (2016)
• AMTE Excellence in Scholarship Award (2011)
• Fulbright Scholar Award (2003)

Gutierrez teaches secondary mathematics methods courses for undergraduate mathematics students seeking an education minor, as well as a large undergraduate seminar on Social Justice, Schooling, and Society. For graduate students and practicing teachers, she offers courses in sociopolitical perspectives on mathematics education, urban education, and research writing. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes preparing educators who can teach powerful mathematics to urban students while navigating the political complexities of contemporary education.

Her work extends beyond traditional academic boundaries through collaborations with Indigenous communities and engagement with movements seeking to transform mathematics education. Gutierrez's scholarship represents a significant contribution to critical mathematics education that bridges theory and practice while challenging conventional wisdom about who can excel in mathematics and how knowledge is constructed.