Kayla Heffernan, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Mathematics. She received her doctorate in Mathematics and Science Education from Temple University and has an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a B.S. in Secondary Mathematics Education. Dr. Heffernan teaches all levels of mathematics courses at Pitt-ĢƵ, with a special interest in the mathematics for education students. She also is part of the Early Bridge program that serves at-risk students and helps to supervise Secondary Mathematics Education student teachers.
Her research interests center on mathematics identity, guided inquiry-based teaching and learning, and interdisciplinary programming for STEM majors. In recent years, she has worked with The POGIL Project to publish the College Algebra: A Guided Inquiry book (2023) and implements POGIL regularly in her own classes. She has also served as a classroom tester for math activities seeking POGIL endorsement and serves as a curator for the POGIL Activities Clearinghouse. She received the 2024 POGIL Peach Award and will serve on The POGIL Steering Committee beginning in 2025.
Dr. Heffernan also currently serves as a co-PI and education researcher for a National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM grant titled “Exploring STEM Identity through a Science Learning Interdisciplinary Community Expansion Scholarship Program”. The program’s goal is to attract, recruit, retain, and graduate academically talented STEM transfer students and traditional students from rural areas with baccalaureate degrees in the natural sciences.
