UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Education is remembering M. Kathleen “Kathy” Heid, distinguished professor emerita of education and a longtime scholar in mathematics education, who recently passed away.
Heid retired from Penn State in 2022 after more than 38 years as a member of the College of Education faculty in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Over the course of her career, she became widely recognized for her research on the use of technology to reconceptualize mathematics curriculum and support mathematics teaching and learning.
A transformative researcher in mathematics education, Heid’s work explored how emerging technologies could reshape mathematics curriculum and classroom learning. Her scholarship influenced the field at the local, state and national levels.
She also challenged educators to rethink how students and teachers engage with mathematical ideas in technology-rich environments, working closely with colleagues, graduate students and K–12 teachers to study how teaching and learning unfolded in these settings.
“Heid had the courage to question what students should learn and how they should learn it to be mathematically savvy in a digital world years before internet, social media, and AI became part of daily life,” observed Rose Mary Zbiek, professor of mathematics education. “Heid’s leadership in national and international organizations was unique in that she sat simultaneously on governing boards of professional organizations in mathematics education and mathematics.”
In 1999, Heid was promoted to professor, and in 2005 she was named distinguished professor of education in mathematics education, one of the college’s highest academic honors.
Heid also played a key role in advancing mathematics education research through collaborative initiatives. In 2000, she helped establish the Mid-Atlantic Center for Mathematics Teaching and Learning, a collaboration between Penn State, the University of Delaware and the University of Maryland that ultimately spanned 10 years. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the center sought to address shortages of qualified mathematics education faculty and strengthen research and teaching that support teachers in their development and use of mathematical understandings for teaching mathematics. The center was later awarded a second five-year NSF grant, a distinction achieved by only one mathematics center funded through the program.
Throughout her career, Heid authored dozens of scholarly articles, research papers and book chapters. Her work appeared in leading publications including the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, Educational Studies in Mathematics, American Journal of Education and other prominent journals in the field. Her research has been cited more than 1,700 times by other scholars.
Heid’s contributions to mathematics education were recognized through numerous honors. In 2015, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. She also received the Outstanding Contribution to Mathematics Education Award from the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics, as well as Penn State’s Career Achievement Award and Achieving Woman Award.
In addition, she was named an International Honors Designee by Megatrend University in Belgrade, Serbia.
Following her retirement in 2022, Heid was awarded emeritus status in recognition of her decades of scholarship, teaching and service to Penn State and the broader mathematics education community.