Max Sherard

Max Sherard is a learning scientist, teacher educator, and former middle school science teacher, originally from Eastern North Carolina. His research examines how people reason, reason, and navigate spatial justice issues such as public transit deserts, food deserts, pollution, racial segregation, and ecological destruction. His teaching focuses on how elementary and secondary STEM teachers can center their classroom instruction on these spatial justice issues, using project-based methodologies. Dr. Sherard began his career in education in rural Northeastern Louisiana, teaching sixth grade science. He continued teaching middle grade science and mathematics in Nashville, Tennessee, before enrolling in a doctoral program at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Sherard is personally interested and passionate about the relationship between geography, learning, and spatial justice. In his spare time, Max can be found at various coffee shops and breweries around Dallas, reading the first half of a book (that he will never finish).

Publications:

• Sherard, M.K., Sager, M.T., Walkington, C., Milton, S., Petrosino, A.J. (in press). Seeing mathematics together: A comparative case study of youths and facilitators collaborating to learn mathematics in informal settings. The Journal of Mathematical Behavior.
• Sager, M.T., Sherard, M.K., Milston, S., Walkington, C., Petrosino, A.J. (2023). Rising in the Ranks! Learning math or playing games? Frontiers in Education, 8, 1-18.
• Sherard, M.K. & Azevedo, F.S., (2023). A method for the critical analysis of science communication texts. International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement.
• Yang, J.A., Sherard, M.K., Julien, C., & Borrego, M. (2021). LGBTQ+ in ECE: Culture and (non)visibility. IEEE Transactions on Education, 64(2), 1-8.
• Yang, J.A., Sherard, M.K., Julien, C., & Borrego, M. (2021). Resistance and community-building in LGBTQ+ engineering students. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering. 27(4):1-33.