The American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education has honored Marialuisa Di Stefano with their Book of the Year award for her book, Integrando STEAM: A Guide for Elementary Bilingual and Dual Programs (2023).
The award-winning book serves as a guide for implementing bilingual and dual language curriculums in elementary school programs. It discusses how K-12 teachers and administrators can best integrate science, technology, engineering, art, and math subjects into their educational programming in both English and a partner language other than English.
Since 2018, Dr. Di Stefano has been a faculty member at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, currently serving as an assistant professor in the department of teacher education and curriculum studies in the College of Education. Throughout her career, she has conducted research on bridging perspectives between STEAM education, bilingual education, transnational civic education, and how such intersections may lead to a more equitable education system.
Dr. Di Stefano graduated from the University of Messina in Italy where she earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in journalism and mass media communication. She holds a master’s degree in foreign languages and cultures from Washington State University and a Ph.D. in education curriculum and instruction from Utah State University.