Paul Ernest was awarded Leverhulme Senior Research Fellowship, 1991-93 to develop a social constructivist theory of mathematics. He is the chair and founder of the International Philosophy of Mathematics Education Network since 1990, and general editor Philosophy of Mathematics Education Newsletter. He is also general editor of the Falmer press series Studies in Mathematics Education. He was elected a member of the committee of the International Study Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, 1992-95, and joined the committee of the British Society for Research on the Learning of Mathematics in 1994. Since 1986 has given more than 30 invited papers and chaired symposia at international conferences, e.g. invited to chair symposium on History of mathematics and mathematics learning (psychological issues) at PME-18 Conference, Lisbon, 1994.
He has contributed over 30 chapters to books and papers to published conference proceedings, over 80 papers to journals, and numerous published reviews of books. His major books include: Mathematics Teaching: The State of the Art, London, Falmer Press, 1989. (Edited collection, reprinted 1993). Also the well reviewed The Philosophy of Mathematics Education, London, Falmer Press, 1991. (Reprinted in 1993). Currently he is finishing: Social Constructivism as a Philosophy of Mathematics, for SUNY Press, Albany, New York, which develops a new philosophy of mathematics.