Dana Miller-Cotto, Ph.D.
Pronunciation: DAY-nuh mil-er k-OH-t-oh
Picture of Dana Miller-Cotto (March, 2024)
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Welcome! I am currently an Assistant Professor in the Berkeley School of Education (BSE) at University of California, Berkeley. Prior to joining the BSE, I was an Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.
My primary line of research focuses on the role of executive functions - a set of core cognitive processes that regulate our thoughts, behaviors, and emotions - in how children learn mathematics, to use this information to design effective learning materials based on cognitive science. Within this topic, my work 1) tests prominent theories of working memory, a component of executive functions, within the context of early math learning, 2) designs learning materials that support students’ working memory skills, and 3) examines the measurement and interpretation of executive function performance on widely used assessments for historically marginalized children. A significant portion of my research focuses on individual differences in math performance for minoritized students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), particularly Black and Latine students living in poverty, who generally demonstrate lower performance in mathematics in the U.S. Embedded in this work is the goal of ensuring that minoritized students' cultural traditions, values, and perspectives are valued in their educational opportunities. |
I am a proud product of the New York City public school system, where I flourished from the support of dedicated educators and mentors, before going on to get a degree from the largest public urban university system in the U.S., the City University of New York (CUNY), and degrees from Temple University, Philadelphia's only public university. I am a strong believer in the power and promise of public education.
I will be reviewing applications for PhD students to begin in Fall 2025 at UC Berkeley (applications are due in December 2024). If you have interest in working with me specifically, please note this in your application letter and explain how our interests align. For the sake of equity, I do not meet with prospective students before the official application deadline.
Relatedly, I strongly advocate for undergraduate research experiences and welcome opportunities to collaborate with undergraduates. If you are an undergraduate student who hopes to gain research experiences with me, please send me an email indicating your interest.
Relatedly, I strongly advocate for undergraduate research experiences and welcome opportunities to collaborate with undergraduates. If you are an undergraduate student who hopes to gain research experiences with me, please send me an email indicating your interest.
"I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein’s brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops".
- Stephen Jay Gould, Historian of Science