Building Pathways. Leading Change. Centering Practice in Research.

Saki L. Milton is a doctoral candidate in Mathematics Education at Southern Methodist University whose research explores how informal learning environments influence STEM motivation, identity, and persistence among adolescents. Her scholarly work examines data science education, culturally relevant pedagogies, and the design of informal STEM learning ecosystems, with an emphasis on girls.​

 

Prior to academia, Ms. Milton led international education initiatives at Pearson and served as a curriculum consultant for Texas Instruments. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of The GEMS Camp, a nationally recognized STEM nonprofit that has served over 1,300 students across Texas and received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring in 2025. Under her leadership, the organization has secured over $1 million in funding and is pioneering a university-affiliate licensing model to expand its impact.​

 

Ms. Milton has presented at major national and international conferences, including AERA, ICME, and ICLS, and her publications appear in Education Sciences, Frontiers in Education, and The Journal of Mathematical Behavior. With a unique blend of classroom teaching, nonprofit leadership, and corporate experience, she brings a research-practice perspective to her work in mathematics education.