Links to citations for awards after 1999
Bill's outstanding ability in the classroom also translates into excellent expository writing. His A Multigrid Tutorial is a SIAM best-seller, and his The DFT (co-authored with V. Henson) is also highly regarded. Both books have received high praise from mathematicians such as Gilbert Strang for their clear, direct exposition of important mathematics. Bill's most recent book, Using and Understanding Mathematics (co-authored with J. Bennett), brings this same depth of effort and expertise to the critical issue of quantitative literacy for our citizenry.
Bill's work on the textbook Using and Understanding Mathematics is just one piece of evidence of his desire and ability to promote mathematics and an understanding of its role in today's world at all levels. He is the UCD Mathematics Department's liaison to area high schools, and meets regularly with teachers participating in the CU-Succeed Gold program. He coordinates teaching workshops for the department's graduate teaching assistants to ensure quality instruction in the courses they teach. In his non-existent free time, Bill also serves as editor of our section webpage.
Bill's dedication to his students and the promotion of mathematics, his talents as an expositer and a teacher, and his genuine modesty about his own contributions serve as an inspiration to us all. It is a great pleasure to see his excellence recognized with the Burton W. Jones Distinguished Teaching Award. We look forward with equal pleasure to Bill's Opening Address at the upcoming Spring meeting!
In recent years, Barbara has played an exceedingly important role in the development of new curriculum at CSM. She has provided leadership in the design of several new courses, including a complete revamping of the calculus sequence. She also serves as a mentor in the Guy T. McBride Jr. Honors Program, a program designed to provide students an opportunity to cross the boundaries of technical expertise and gain sensitivity to the moral and social implications of their profession.
Barbara's commitment to student success goes well beyond the classroom. For 8 years, she was Co-PI (with Ardel Boes) on the NSF Young Scholars program for Native American middle school students and teachers. She directed an AWM Sonia Kovalevsky High School Mathematics Day in 1995, and is active in promoting women's programs at CSM. In the arena of K-12 teacher preparation, she has held an NSF Teacher Enhancement grant, a CCHE Professional Development Grant, and served as a facilitator for CONNECT, Colorado's NSF Statewide Systemic Initiative grant. And in her spare time (?!), Barbara has served on committees which touch every aspect of undergraduate education at CSM, organized workshops for advanced placement calculus teachers, presented at ASEE meetings and other venues, and served on panels for incoming CSM freshmen and their parents.
Barbara's unswerving dedication to the promotion of quality mathematics teaching and learning, her unflagging enthusiasm and superb organizational and leadership skills, and her thorough understanding of the entire educational system and its interconnections truly serve as a model for the rest of us to emulate. It is a distinct pleasure to see her excellence recognized with the 2000 Burton W. Jones Distinguished Teaching Award. Congratulations, Barbara!
Above and beyond all this, Jim is an innovative teacher who continually revises his classes to make them less teacher-centered, and more focused on having students make sense of mathematics. He take risks in his teaching, and in turn encourages and supports risk-taking on the part of his students. Using a good set of problems as the foundation, Jim's goal is to create a mini-mathematical community in which students engage in the real process of doing mathematics: asking questions, making conjectures, proving results or finding counterexamples, and generalizing their findings.
A long time activist for reform in teacher preparation, Jim's commitment to employing in his own classroom the pedagogy that he preaches to others has positively impacted the mathematics learning experience for innumerable K – 12 students throughout the region. His own students comment on the challenges they encounter in his classes, and go on to say that they are more competent and more confident about mathematics and their ability to teach it as a result of these challenges. Jim's support, good humor and patient are cited by his students as primary reasons for their success.
Jim's commitment to high quality mathematics teaching and learning, his dedication to his own students, his leadership, patience, sense of humor and empathetic ear have made him a role model for all of us in the Rocky Mountain Section. It is a distinct pleasure to recognize the excellence he has brought to mathematics education in our region with the 2001 Burton W. Jones Distinguished Teaching Award.
Gene's success as an innovative and inspiring teacher has been recognized with several university awards, including designation as a University of Colorado President's Teaching Scholar, the highest teaching award within the CU system. In addition to his ability to instill a high degree of curiosity within the classroom, students remark upon his availability to provide assistance and advice outside the classroom. Due to Gene's mentorship and influence, numerous UCCS students have continued their mathematical education after graduation.
Gene is also involved in numerous efforts to enhance the "mathematical well-being" of the entire Pikes Peak region. These efforts include the development (with Jeremy Haefner) of the Mathonline distance-learning program
His background allows him to bring a wealth of practical experience to the classroom and to teach a wide variety of classes. In addition to teaching the more mainstream mathematics courses, he has designed, developed, and delivered courses in Mathematical Modeling, Anatomy and Physiology, Java Programming, Mathematical Biology, and Client Server Web Programming. It is difficult for Colorado School of Mines students to receive a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics or Computer Science without taking a course from Dr. King. Allegedly, many students make up their course schedules by first enrolling in Dr. King's classes and then filling out the rest of their schedules with courses required for graduation. One recent graduate said that he and his friends had Dr. King for so many courses that they call Colorado School of Mines "Hugh U".
"Dr. Teets' availability and willingness to give outside classroom assistance is definitely a plus ...",
"I liked the positive attitude of the instructor.",
"I liked the way you give interesting examples.",
"Outstanding teacher. Combined humor + history into the course. Additionally, he was always available + had incredible patience."
and colleague comments like:
"The secret of his success lies in his enjoyment of his students, his meticulous preparation, and his excitement about mathematics." and
"... it has been his influence that has led to a significant percentage of (SDSM&T) mathematics majors to go on to graduate studies.".
He was awarded the SDSM&T Benard Ennenga Faculty Award in 2003 for his exceptional abilities to educate and inspire students. He is an ardent member of MAA and a familiar presence at national and section meetings.He has taught a wide variety of courses including mathematics courses ranging from Precalculus to Complex Analysis and mathematics study courses in Dynamical Systems, Chaotic Dynamics, and Orbital Mechanics. In the spring of 2003, Dr. Teets published one of the Orbital Mechanics class projects that he had converted to a UMAP module. A course he once offered in Dynamical Systems drew not only a healthy enrollment of undergraduates, but also half a dozen SDSM&T faculty members who faithfully attended. When he taught a course in Celestial Mechanics, students used "live" data from the NASA website in their homework. No less than twenty students have conducted undergraduate research projects under his tutelage on topics ranging from fractals and fractional calculus to applications dealing with chemical reactions and orbital mechanics.
Dr. Teets advocated and supported the expansion of the SDSM&T undergraduate research component from one semester to two semesters, a change that focused on improving the quality of students' mathematical communication in their final reports. The SDSM&T Industrial Advisory Board was very enthusiastic about the stronger emphasis on developing the communication skills of graduates resulting from this effort.
He was SDSM&T Department Chair from 1997 to 2000. He was a founding member of and served on the Mathematics Discipline Council formed by the South Dakota Board of Regents in 1999 from 1999-2004 including service as Chair from 2003-2004. He has established relations with South Dakota high school mathematics teachers and advises them regularly on mathematics preparation for higher education studies.
He has an impressive publication list and has presented at regional and national conferences including invited lectures. An article he co-authored with Dr. Karen Whitehead titled "The discovery of Ceres: How Gauss became famous" earned him the Carl B. Allendoerfer Award for expository excellence from the Mathematical Association of America, awarded in August of 2000 in California. Recently, he published a paper entitled "Transits of Venus and the Astronomical Unit" where he explains how data on the relative positions of the Earth, Venus and the Sun can be used to determine the distance from the earth to the sun with mathematics accessible to Calculus III and Linear Algebra students.
It is an honor to recognize Dr. Donald Teets' contributions to mathematics education with the 2004 Burton W. Jones Distinguished Teaching Award. Congratulations, Dr. Teets and good luck in the competition for the Deborah and Franklin Haimo Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics!
Professor Bryan Shader of the University of Wyoming has quietly addressed the high standards set for the award with his professional accomplishments. His efforts in teaching, establishing meaningful and effective connections with students, establishing connections with local and national area high school teachers, leading undergraduate research projects, developing and implementing curriculum, and establishing a broad impact and a high regard in the international mathematics community acclaim his teaching excellence. Dr. Shader has taught a variety of graduate level courses in Algebra and Combinatorics along with an undergraduate regimen. Students at both levels have consistently noted his devotion to the subject matter, his ability to challenge them to learn, and his concern for their academic progress. He has received the University of Wyoming Ellenbogen Award for Outstanding Teaching and Mortar Board Chapter Top Prof Award. His follow-up and professional ties with students after they graduate from the University of Wyoming and demonstrated ability to positively influence mathematical appreciation in students highlight his interest in students' personal lives as part of his defining character. His initiative to establish and sustain a voluntary undergraduate research program in small world networks demonstrates his penchant for motivating students to excel and enrich their educational experience. On one occasion, he was involved in a National Science Foundation Project called "Model Masters Degree Program" that was for high school teachers including participants from across the country. As part of this involvement, he was able to successfully teach a group of students who undeniably have strong opinions about teaching methods while making the experience enjoyable and satisfying. He has strengthened connections with local area high schools by helping high school students with Science Fair projects. Two of the students he worked with received international acclaim. His curriculum development, revision, and implementation accomplishments include courses for in-service middle and high school teachers, investigation of Calculus reform, Math for Liberal Arts, Elementary Linear Algebra, Seminar for Math Majors, and graduate level Applied Algebra. The investigation of Calculus reform led the Mathematics Department to choose a balanced approach adapting strengths of both the traditional and the reform methods. He has advised a significant portion of students awarded graduate degrees by the University of Wyoming Mathematics Department. The number of his students who are, or intend to be, mathematics educators is noteworthy. His involvement and accomplishments in the international mathematics community and publication record reinforce his teaching effectiveness. He is a leader in the International Linear Algebra Society (ILAS). He is associate editor of Linear Algebra and Its Applications and the Electronic Journal of Linear Algebra and Editor-in-chief of IMAGE-the bulletin of ILAS. He is regularly invited to give talks at ILAS conferences and is in high demand as a speaker at regional and national meetings. He has co-authored a book in Qualitative Matrix Theory with Richard Brualdi. The Rocky Mountain Section is fortunate to have a person with Dr. Shader's abilities and passion for teaching mathematics. It is an honor to recognize his contributions to mathematics education with the 2005 Burton W. Jones Distinguished Teaching Award. Congratulations, Dr. Shader! The Section is proud to present you as our representative in the competition for the Deborah and Franklin Haimo Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics! Professor Barbara Moskal of the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) easily exceeds each of the high standards set for this prestigious award as evidenced by her efforts in teaching, leading undergraduate and graduate research projects, mentoring, service, and research. Dr. Moskal has developed a reputation for being an enthusiastic, well organized, and caring instructor. In recognition of her excellence in teaching, she received the Colorado School of Mines Alumni Association Outstanding Faculty Member in Mathematical and Computer Sciences Award in December 2001, based on the vote of all CSM graduating seniors. In May 2003, she received CSM’s most prestigious teaching award, the CSM Alumni Teaching Award, which recognizes superior teaching at the undergraduate level over a period of several years and provides encouragement and incentive for teaching achievement. In May 2004, she received the Alfred E. Jenni Faculty Fellowship which is awarded to a CSM faculty member “who will make institution-wide contributions in teaching effectiveness and educational scholarship during the one-year period of the award. The recipient will have meritorious service in educational program development and will have a vision of how that experience can be brought to bear in institution-wide enhancements in education.” Under this award, Dr. Moskal is working to strengthen a partnership between CSM and Colorado Christian University (CCU) which will enable CCU pre-service teachers to complete all of their mathematics courses beyond calculus in the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences (MCS) at CSM. It will also provide MCS students interested in pursuing a career in middle or high school mathematics teaching with the opportunity to complete a teacher certification program through CCU while remaining at CSM. Dr. Moskal is working on a similar collaboration with the Metropolitan State College of Denver. Her background in assessment has allowed her to provide invaluable assistance to her department and the CSM community on issues concerning assessment. Within her department, she is the lead assessment person. She often develops assessment instruments that meet current department needs such as research project evaluations, staff evaluations and student evaluations. She also assists faculty in the development of assessment instruments appropriate for their classroom needs. Recently she developed assessment materials designed to evaluate and improve a faculty member’s probability and statistics textbook which has gone to print. Dr. Moskal’s primary research focus is on the development and validation of assessment instruments at the classroom, department, and university levels. She is also interested in the impact gender has upon the assessment process, and is engaged in research that examines the impact that classroom pedagogy and assessment techniques have upon the retention of female students. She has published numerous refereed journal articles, book publications, and conference papers, several by invitation. Dr. Moskal has been remarkably successful in obtaining external funding which has enabled her to make significant contributions to undergraduate and graduate education at CSM and to K-12 education in local school districts. Currently she is principal investigator or co-principal investigator on grants totaling several million dollars. These awards cover a broad spectrum of areas including computer ethics and gender issues as well as teacher enhancement. Two NSF grants in particular have direct impact on MCS students: “Science Related Degrees: Improving the Retention of Women and Minorities through Research Experience, Mentoring and Financial Assistance”, and “GK-12 Learning Partnerships: Creating Problem Centered, Interdisciplinary Learning Environments”. Through Dr. Moskal’s efforts, the number of graduate students working on education-related topics has greatly increased at CSM. She has been particularly successful in attracting and retaining female graduate students. Some of her MS students have gone on to Ph.D. programs. Her graduate students have offered several successful summer technology camps to underprivileged middle school students from Adams County District 50. In October 2004, Dr. Moskal led the organization of a one-day undergraduate mathematical sciences conference funded by the MAA and the CSM Graduate School. She also played a key role in the development of a proposal to establish a Research Experience for Undergraduates site in Hong Kong, which was recommended for funding by the NSF. Dr. Moskal was also instrumental in the establishment of the Center for Engineering Education at the Colorado School of Mines in 1999 and served for three years as the Center’s first associate director. The Rocky Mountain Section is fortunate to have a person with Dr. Moskal’s enthusiasm and talent for mentoring others and teaching mathematics. It is an honor to recognize her contributions to mathematics education with the 2006 Burton W. Jones Distinguished Teaching Award. Congratulations, Dr. Moskal, and best of luck in the competition for the Deborah and Franklin Haimo Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics!
Hugh King
Professor King received an M.D. in 1977 from University of Pennsylvania's Medical School and a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Colorado, Denver in 1992. He practiced medicine for over a decade and worked for Bell Labs for five years and as an independent computer consultant while working on his Ph.D. at the University of Colorado, Denver. He is currently a senior lecture at the Colorado School of Mines. He has a passion for teaching, advising, and counseling students. As one of his student states "Dr. King never fails to provide enthusiastic and well-prepared lectures, and has a gift for being able to motivate students regardless of the course in which he is teaching". He consistently scores well above the department average on the student satisfaction portion of student evaluations.
Don Teets
Professor Donald Teets of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSM&T) easily exceeds each of the high standards set for the award. His efforts in teaching, leading undergraduate research projects, curriculum development, service, and research exemplify excellence, and he consistently demonstrates wisdom and leadership.
He is well-respected by students and colleagues as evidenced by representative student comments like:
Bryan Shader
Barbara Moskal