ANN ARBOR—Edward Silver has been named dean of the School of Education at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Silver is currently the William A. Brownwell Collegiate Professor of Education at U-M in Ann Arbor.

At U-M, he has served as chair of the Educational Studies Program and as associate dean for academic affairs. His main teaching responsibilities have been in the area of mathematics education. Silver’s three-year appointment at UM-Dearborn will begin July 1, pending formal approval by the U-M Board of Regents.

“Professor Silver is an innovative educational leader and his appointment at UM-D represents an innovative partnership between two University of Michigan campuses,” said Catherine Davy, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at UM-Dearborn. “Dean Silver will retain his faculty appointment at Ann Arbor. During his three-year tenure at UM-D he will advance UM-D’s signature metropolitan vision to improve the education of children in southeast Michigan, while building collaborative, ongoing programmatic alliances among faculty on both campuses.”

UM-Dearborn has made a priority of strengthening the effectiveness of teachers and schools, through School of Education programs and partnerships with urban and metropolitan school systems.

Silver’s scholarly interests include the study of mathematical thinking, especially mathematical problem solving and problem posing; the design and analysis of intellectually engaging and equitable mathematics instruction for students; innovative methods of assessing and reporting mathematics achievement; and effective models for enhancing the knowledge of teachers of mathematics. He has published more than 150 articles, chapters, and books on these topics.

Silver’s particular expertise and interest in mathematics education will complement the
UM-Dearborn’s Detroit Mathematics Academy. This academy has helped hundreds of public school teachers deepen their understanding of math and how best to teach it, while earning graduate credit at accessible Detroit locations.

“I am deeply committed to the University of Michigan, and I am excited by this new opportunity to contribute to the university through my position at UM-Dearborn, which has a tradition of working to make real change in southeastern Michigan through education,” Silver said. “I look forward to strengthening partnerships with area community groups and school districts and beginning a new relationship with our main campus in Ann Arbor.

“These partnerships are essential to our success in linking the knowledge gained from educational research and scholarship with the practical wisdom gained through reflection in and on the work of educational practitioners. I look forward to the challenges of enabling the UM-Dearborn School of Education faculty and staff to provide effective preparation programs for new teachers and excellent advanced degree programs for working professionals in the field of education.”

Prior to joining U-M in 2000, Silver held faculty positions at the University of Pittsburgh, San Diego State University and Northern Illinois University. Prior to that, he was a teacher for several years in New York State. In fall 2008, he was the Lappan-Phillips-Fitzgerald Visiting Professor at Michigan State University.

Silver earned his master’s degree and Ed.D. in mathematics education from Teachers College, Columbia University. He was the 2004 recipient of the Award for Outstanding Contributions of Educational Research to Practice from the American Educational Research Association, the 2007 recipient of the Iris Carl Memorial Leadership and Equity Award from TODOS, and the 2009 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.