Joan Ferrini-Mundy, the twenty-first president of the University of Maine, has received the 2025 Distinguished Public Service Award from the American Educational Research Association. The annual award recognizes an individual who has supported and advanced policies grounded in educational research.
During her tenure as president of the University of Maine, Dr. Ferrini-Mundy has significantly advanced the institution’s research capabilities, resulting in the university receiving the prestigious designation as an R1 Carnegie Classification research university in 2022. She currently serves as a co-principal investigator for a $320 million grant project focused on advancing student success, retention, and research opportunities across the University of Maine System.
Before assuming her presidency in 2018, Dr. Ferrini-Mundy was chief operating officer at the National Science Foundation, where she worked for over a decade. Earlier, she was a professor of mathematics and teacher education at Michigan State University and a professor of mathematics at the University of New Hampshire. Throughout her career, her scholarship has focused on mathematics education, STEM education and policy, teacher education, and research administration.
In October 2024, Dr. Ferrini-Mundy was appointed to the National Science Board, following her service on the President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science. She is currently chair-elect of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ (APLU) board of directors and holds several other advisory positions throughout the state of Maine.
Dr. Ferrini-Mundy holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and a Ph.D. in mathematics education from the University of New Hampshire.