Ferdinand Rivera, Ph.D.

Ferdinand “Ferdie” Rivera, Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at San Jose State University, conducts research in school-based mathematical cognition, in particular, the emergence of structural thinking in children and adults. Rivera’s research program falls under the category of psychology of mathematics education with a focus on the development of mathematical cognition in school situations. His investigations focus on ways in which individual learners employ visualization to make sense of mathematical concepts and processes.

He recently concluded longitudinal studies on pattern generalization at the elementary and middle school levels, and he is also developing prototype models of visual animation tasks that are designed to mediate in elementary learners’ understanding of hard-to-reach mathematical concepts. Rivera’s research is supported by a Career grant from the National Science Foundation. He is a former Professor of Mathematics and Cognition at San Jose State University, and received his PhD from Ohio State University Main Campus, 1998 with a Postgraduate Diploma in Cultural Studies from the Center for Development Research, University of Bonn, Germany, 2000.