Anthony Petrosino

Dr. Petrosino serves as the Associate Dean for Research and Outreach in SMU’s Simmons School and Professor in the Simmons Department of Teaching and Learning. Prior to coming to SMU in fall 2019, he served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at The University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Petrosino has received more than 17 million dollars in grants from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Education and the McDonnel Foundation for Cognitive Studies. His research interests include students understanding of experimentation, engineering education and the development of expertise. He is Co-Founder of the nationally recognized UTeach Program. He is a Learning Scientist and an Associate Professor of Science and Mathematics Education and the Elizabeth G. Gibb Endowed Fellow at The University of Texas at Austin. He received his Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University where he was a member of the Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt (CTGV) for five years. While doing his doctoral work, Petrosino was a NASA Space Grant Fellow funded through the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He was a seven year member of the NSF funded VaNTH ERC and a Principle Investigator of a Department of Education funded PT3 grant. Petrosino taught secondary science for seven years and is a certified K-12 teacher of science. In addition he was an Assistant Superintendent of Schools for 2 years and was also a secondary school administrator for three years. Dr. Petrosino has published over 40 peer reviewed journal articles, made over 100 national and international conference presentations and has supervised a dozen doctoral dissertations. His articles have appeared in the Journal of Science Education and Technology, The Journal of the Learning Sciences, Mathematical Thinking and Learning, Educational Computing Research, The Journal of Engineering Education, and The American Educational Research Journal.

Service

Coordinator of Elementary Science Education (2015 - Present)
Member, Faculty Council, The University of Texas at Austin (2012 - 2019)
Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Science Education and Technology
Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Pre-College Engineering
Member, Graduate Studies Committee, STEM program, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Member, American Educational Research Association
Member, Society of the Learning Sciences
Member, National Research in Science Teaching Association
Board Member, Hola Dual Language Charter School, Hoboken, NJ

Publications

Petrosino, A., & Shekhar, P. (2018). Expert blind spot among preservice and inservice teachers: Beliefs about algebraic reasoning and potential impact on engineering education. International Journal of Engineering Education, 34(1), 97–105.

Petrosino, A., & Mann, M. (2018). Data modeling for pre-service teachers and everyone else. Journal of College Science Teaching, 47(3), 28–38.

Lucero, M., Petrosino, A., & Delgado, C. (2017). Exploring the relationship between secondary science teachers' subject matter knowledge and knowledge of student conceptions while teaching evolution by natural selection. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 54, 219–246.

Petrosino, A. J., Gustafson, K., & Shekhar, P. (2016). Integration in a Research Based Engineering Curriculum Using Enacted and Prescribed Frames. International Journal of Engineering Education, 32(No. 1 (A)), 219–229.

Petrosino, A. J. (2016). Teachers Use of Data, Measurement, and Data Modeling in Quantitative Reasoning. Reconceptualizing STEM Education: The Central Role of Practices (pp. pp.167–180). New York: Taylor & Francis/Routledge. (View)

Petrosino, A. J. (2015). Decentralized Thinking and Understanding of Evolution in K-12 Education. Evolution: Education and Outreach, 8, 2–12.

Walkington, C., Petrosino, A., & Sherman, M. (2012). Supporting algebraic reasoning through personalized story scenarios: How situational understanding mediates performance and strategies. Mathematical Thinking and Learning.

Svihla, V., Petrosino, A., & Diller, K. (2012). Learning to Design: Authenticity, Negotiation and Innovation. International Journal of Engineering Education, 28(4), 1–17.

Petrosino, A., Martin, T., & Svihla, V. (2007). Developing Student Expertise and Community: Lessons from How People Learn: New Directions for Teaching and Learning, Number 108: Jossey-Bass.

Petrosino, A., Lehrer, R., & Schauble, L. (2003). Structuring error and experimental variation as distribution in the fourth grade. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 5, 131–156.

Nathan, M., & Petrosino, A. (2003). Expert Blind Spot Among Preservice Teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 40(4), 905–928.