Deborah Loewenberg Ball

Deborah Loewenberg Ball currently serves as dean of the University of Michigan School of Education, where she is also the William H. Payne Collegiate Professor and an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor. Her work draws on her many years of experience as an elementary classroom teacher. Ball’s research focuses on mathematics instruction, and on interventions designed to improve its quality and effectiveness. She is an expert on teacher education, with a particular interest in how professional training and experience combine to equip beginning teachers with the skills and knowledge needed for effective practice. Ball has served on several national and international commissions and panels focused on policy initiatives and the improvement of education, including the National Mathematics Advisory Panel (appointed by President George W. Bush) and the National Board for Education Sciences (appointed by President Barack Obama).