Richard Velasco receives Equity in Math Education Research Grant

Richard Velasco was born and raised on Guam and is a proud product of the public school system. Currently an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma, he received a grant to develop a high school curriculum that culturally relevant to Micronesia.

The title of the project is  amplifying indigenous Micronesian intelligence for data science with culturally relevant data. The former Guam resident Velasco, currently an assistant professor in mathematics education at OU in Norman, received a $100,000 equity in math education research grant from the National Academy of Education. He is one of ten recipients. 

He says the project was born out of a conversation he had with a computer and math teacher on Guam. And this is where the project idea flourished.

"How can we bring data science back to the islands so that there's more interest in it, but also tackling certain issues that are relevant to Guam, Saipan, to the Marianas and Micronesia," he shared.

Velasco, who was born and raised on Guam and who had taught at the Guam Department of Education for several years before moving off-island, had arrived home last year for a visit with his family, when he received word he was a grant recipient.

"When they picked me up at the airport, the first thing I told them and it was a cause for celebration. So not only was I excited to be home with family, because it had been a couple of years, but also because they got to celebrate with me in receiving this grant. I was excited to tell my mentors, and a lot of my colleagues who have been supportive and supported me throughout this journey," he recalled.

The grant, which is for two years, will help provide for the project. His hope for the project is threefold, as he described, "We have some tangible -  the development of data science curriculum that is relevant to Guam, Saipan and Micronesia more broadly in the secondary level. What we're hoping what comes out of this project is that we have a set a of modules that sort of begins a launching pad to creating a broader curriculum for data science.

"Last but not least, highlight and bring awareness.  And remember where they came from."