Dr. Geoffrey Saxe

Biography

Geoffrey Saxe studies the relations between culture and cognitive development, with a primary focus on mathematical cognition. He has conducted research in a variety of settings, including remote parts of Papua New Guinea and urban and rural areas in Northeastern Brazil. In the United States, his work has also spanned elementary and middle school classrooms. His secondary focus is on mathematics education, and he has worked with colleagues on innovative curriculum design that integrates the number line as a central representational context for teaching integers and fractions. Saxe's publications include significant books such as "Cultural Development of Mathematical Ideas: Papua New Guinea Studies" (2012) and "Culture Cognitive Development: Studies in Mathematical Understanding" (1991). He has published numerous articles addressing topics such as numerical linear strategies and the coherence of curricular sequences in mathematics education. Saxe's work has received substantial support through major grants and has earned recognition from various organizations. Notably, he was elected to the National Academy of Education in 2005 and received a Presidential Citation from the American Educational Research Association in 2010. Saxe has served as past President of the Jean Piaget Society and has contributed as Editor-in-Chief of the journal "Human Development."

Research Interests