Saki Milton

Education

Ph.D. in Education (2021-2026)
Southern Methodist University

Master of Business Administration in Marketing
Southern Methodist University

Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics
University of Texas at Austin

Areas of Focus

• Research practice partnerships for community-based STEM organizations
• Minoritized girls’ attitudinal and academic outcomes within informal STEM learning
• Generative AI in community-based education and informal math learning
• Impact of community-based education and positive youth development programs for vulnerable student populations
• Integration of culturally sustaining pedagogy and community cultural wealth theories in existing informal math learning research design

Selected Publications

Wen, J., Sager, M. T., Milton, S., Martin, T., Skeete, R., & Walkington, C. (2026). Middle School Girls’ Attitudes and Engagement in Generative AI Cybersecurity Summer Camp. Education Sciences, 16(7), 1099.

Sager, M. T., Milton, S., & Walkington, C. “It’s a lot more to it than just research”: integrating critical data literacy and reasoning with data into a STEM summer camp. Information and Learning Sciences, 127(5-6), pp. 315–344.

Milton, S., Sager, M.T., Sherard, M.K., Walkington, C., & Petrosino, A.J. (accepted). Students’ attitudes towards mathematics during math walks. Journal of Urban Mathematics Education.

Sager, M. T., Milton, S., & Walkington, C. (2025). Girls leading the conversation: harnessing the potential of podcasting for informal and project-based learning. Discover Education, 4(1), Article 18.

Milton, S., Sager, M. T., & Walkington, C. (2023). Understanding racially and ethnically minoritized girls’ perceptions of their STEM identities, abilities, and sense of belonging in a summer camp. Education Sciences, 13(12), 1183.

Honors and Awards

• Southern Methodist University Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Outstanding Ph.D. Student, 2026
• American Educational Research Association (AERA), Karen King Future Leader Award of the Special Interest Group for Research in Mathematics Education, 2026
• National Summer Learning Association Excellence in Summer Learning (The GEMS Camp), 2025
• Recipient of Provost Summer Research Grant from Southern Methodist University, 2025
• Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (The GEMS Camp), 2022
• Recipient of the American Educational Research Association Graduate Student Assistance Fund toward the Annual Meeting, 2023
• Recipient of Ebby Award for significant contribution of girls and women in North Texas, 2022
• Named Six STEM Influencers Helping to Bridge the Gap for Blacks, Hispanics, and Women Forbes Technology Council, July 30, 2021

Professional Affiliations

The International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS)
General Member since 2021

American Educational Research Association (AERA), Divisions C
General Member since 2022