Graduate Student Spotlight: Sara Elakesh

The Program in Mathematics Education (PRIME) is delighted to welcome first-year doctoral student Sara Elakesh. 

 

Here at PRIME, Sara’s research interests are focused on Middle Eastern students' experiences in mathematics regarding a sense of belonging, math persistence, and mathematical identity. She is also interested in how international students adjust when coming to the US, and in particular, how differences in language and culture affect mathematics learning. She would also like to research students' mathematical identities and how they intersect with their racial/ethnic, cultural, and gender identities, as well as study marginalized groups, with emphasis on the Middle Eastern/North African community. Little is known about their experiences in mathematics classrooms, so she would like to explore that area.

Before joining the PRIME program, Sara earned her B.S. in Applied Mathematics from University of California, Riverside, and M.S. in Mathematics from Cal Poly Pomona. 

Sara grew up in Temecula, California and lived there her whole life. In her free time, she enjoys trying new foods (she’s a huge foodie) and sometimes likes to embroider. She confessed that she also loves reality TV, stating it's her guilty pleasure! Sara has traveled to Syria a couple of times, but otherwise has done most of her traveling in the U.S., and particularly the west coast.

When asked about her future goals and what she sees herself doing after graduating from PRIME, Sara commented, “After graduating, I would like to teach mathematics at the university level, and potentially be a thesis advisor! I would love to give students the same inspiration that my thesis advisor gave me.”

PRIME wants to thank Sara for allowing us to get to know her a little more and accepting to attend MSU. Welcome to the PRIME family, Sara! We know you will continue to do amazing things!