Ratih Ayu Apsari

I am interested in culturally situated embodied cognition in relation to the teaching and learning of mathematics.

About Me:

I am a PhD candidate in the Learning Sciences and Human Development at the University of California, Berkeley. My research focuses on promoting epistemic diversity and cultural funds of knowledge in students by integrating culturally situated embodied cognition into mathematics education. Currently, I am working on the Geometry Resources in Dance (GRiD) project, a gridded floor mat to objectify tacit attentional anchors for movement coordination into auxiliary lines for geometric practice.

Originally from Bali, my formal background is in mathematics education, and I have also received informal training as a Balinese traditional dancer. Before starting my PhD, I spent five years teaching in Indonesian public universities’ mathematics education study program. Beyond academia, I actively support educational communities and institutions through various online classes. Additionally, whenever I have the opportunity, I enjoy performing Balinese dance at events in the Bay Area. You can catch glimpses of my performances on my Instagram <at> aayuratiih.

Research Interest: mathematics education, embodied cognition, design-based research, cultural funds of knowledge, cross-cultural epistemic diversity

Publications and Presentations

Invited Talks and Workshops

  • Apsari, R. A., & Abrahamson, D. (2025). Culturally situated embodied design: A framework for grounding mathematical concepts in students’ authentic cultural practices. Invited lecture in P. Nilsson (Chair), Design research in mathematics education <Symposium>. Linnæus University, Växjö, Sweden, October 29, 2025.
  • Apsari, R. A. (2025). Culturally situated mathematics design: Balinese local spatial Practice as a Semiotic Resource for Geometric Reasoning. Invited speaker in B. Z. Melani (Chair), The 7th International Conference on Education and Social Science (ICESS), Universitas Mataram, Indonesia, July 10, 2025Apsari, R. A. (2025). Culturally Situated Embodied Mathematics Design: Tracing the Invisible with Geometry Resources in Dance (GRiD). Invited speaker in Kurniasari, I., Prawoto, B.P., & Lestariningsih, L. (Chairs). The 2nd International Conference of Interdisciplinary Research and Studies in Mathematics (Inciresma 2025), Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia, July 19, 2025
  • Apsari, R. A. (2025). Culturally Situated Embodied Mathematics Design: Tracing the Invisible with Geometry Resources in Dance (GRiD). Invited speaker in Kurniasari, I., Prawoto, B.P., & Lestariningsih, L. (Chairs). The 2nd International Conference of Interdisciplinary Research and Studies in Mathematics (Inciresma 2025), Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia, July 19, 2025
  • Apsari, R. A. (2025). Dancing geometry. Facilitator in K. Schaffer (Program Coordinator). Dancing and Mathematics Family Day Activity, Bridges: Mathematics, Art, Music, Architecture, Education, Culture Conference <Workshop>, Eindhoven, the Netherlands, July 17, 2025Apsari, R. A. (2025). Culturally situated embodied mathematical design. In Skrzypowska, J. (Chair). Workshop for Educators and Researchers at the Tinkatorium Station, Copernicus Science Center, Warsaw, Poland, July 4, 2025
  • Apsari, R. A. (2025). Culturally situated embodied mathematical design. In Skrzypowska, J. (Chair). Workshop for Educators and Researchers at the Tinkatorium Station, Copernicus Science Center, Warsaw, Poland, July 4, 2025
  • Apsari, R. A., Surjorahardjo, I.J., & Wirjadi, K. (2025). Dancing geometry. In K. Graf & L. Jacoby (Co-chairs). Expand Your Horizon at Berkeley, Workshop for 5th–8th grade girls, trans youth, and gender non-conforming and/or non-binary students, University of California, Berkeley, USA, April 12, 2025
  • Apsari, R. A., (2024). Dancing geometry: Embodied-design for culturally situated mathematics classroom. Invited lecturer, Elementary School Teacher Education Program, Universitas Islam Raden Rahmat, Malang, Indonesia, December 13, 2024
  • Apsari, R. A. (2025). Balinese dance and embodied mathematical design [Participatory presentation]

    . In D. Abrahamson & A. R. Jensenius (Workshop Chairs), Embodied Design and Multimodal Learning Analytics, Berkeley, California, USA. https://edrl.berkeley.edu/workshops-and-symposia/edammla-international-workshop/

  • Apsari, R. A. (2025). Invited speaker. In A. Amrullah (Chair). Seminar Nasional Pendidikan Matematika dan Terapan (National Seminar on Mathematics Education and Application), Universitas Mataram, Indonesia, November 18, 2023
  • Apsari, R. A. (2025). Invited speaker. In Scientific Adventures for Girls, Washington Elementary School, Berkeley, USA, November 16, 2023

Grants

Jacobs Institute Innovation Catalysts, Spring 2024

Teaching

  • Graduate Student Instructor, EDUC 131AC, Classroom Interactions in Science & Mathematics A Focus on Equity and Urban Schools (with Daniel Golub), UC Berkeley, Spring 2024
  • Graduate Student Instructor, EDUC 130, Knowing and Learning in Mathematics and Science (with Brantina Chirinda), UC Berkeley, Fall 2023
  • Graduate Student Instructor, EDUC 130, Knowing and Learning in Mathematics and Science (with Lloyd Goldwasser), UC Berkeley, Spring 2023
  • Graduate Student Instructor, EDSTEM 187, Project-Based Instruction (with Mark Spencer), UC Berkeley, Fall 2022
  • Graduate Student Instructor, HIST 182T, Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society (with Hannah Zeavin), UC Berkeley, Spring 2022
  • Graduate Student Instructor, HIST 182T, History of Science in the United States (with Hannah Zeavin), UC Berkeley, Fall 2021

Research Mentoring Experiences

  • UC Berkeley EDSTEM C122 Research Method: Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2025
  • UC Berkeley Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP): Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025

Peer Review Services for International Journals and Conferences

  • Instructional Science
  • Mathematics Education Research Journal
  • International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology
  • Journal of Mathematics Education
  • Perceptual and Motor Skills
  • Southeast Asian Mathematics Education Journal
  • Journal of Research and Advances in Mathematics Education
  • ERME Topic Conference 2026, with the theme Connecting the Learning of Mathematics Teaching to Practice
  • EARLI SIG 10, 17, 21, and 25 Conference 2026, with the theme Meaningful Metamorphoses: Navigating Learning and Instruction in/for Times of Change

Peer Review Services for Indonesian National Journals

  • Inomatika (Inovasi Matematika), STKIP Muhammadiyah Bangka Beltung
  • JPM Rafa, UIN Raden Fatah Palembang
  • Mandalika, Universitas Mataram
  • AlphaMath: Journal of Mathematics Education, Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto
  • JUPITEK (Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika), Universitas Pattimura
  • BETA Jurnal Tadris Matematika, UIN Mataram
  • EDUMATICA, Universitas Jambi
  • Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran Matematika Indonesia (JPPMI), Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha
  • Mosharafa: Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika, Institut Pendidikan Indonesia
  • PLUSMINUS: Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika, Institute Pendidikan Indonesia

Project

Geometry Resources in Dance (GRiD)