Awards

Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics

Eligibility

• College or university teachers who currently teach a mathematical science at least halftime during the academic year in a public or private college or university (from two-year college teaching through teaching at the Ph.D. level) in the United States or Canada. Those on approved leave (sabbatical or other) during the academic year in which they are nominated qualify if they fulfilled the requirements in the previous year.

• At least seven years experience in teaching in the mathematical sciences.

• Membership in the MAA and the Iowa Section of the MAA.

Guidelines for Nomination

Nominees should 

• Be widely recognized as extraordinarily successful in their teaching*

• Have teaching effectiveness that can be documented

• Have had influence in their teaching beyond their own institution**

• Foster curiosity and generate excitement about mathematics in their students.

* “teaching” is to be interpreted in its broadest sense, not necessarily limited to classroom teaching. It may include activities such as preparing students for mathematical competitions at the college level, attracting students to become majors in a mathematical science, working with pre-service or in-service teachers, advising undergraduate research etc.

** “influence beyond...” can take many forms, including demonstrated lasting impact on alumni, influence on the profession through curricular revisions in college mathematics teaching with wide-ranging impact, influential publications or innovative books concerned with the teaching of college mathematics, etc.

Certificate for Meritorious Service

A Certificate of Meritorious Service is presented for service at the national level or for service to a Section of the Association. In each Section, a committee of at least three members should be appointed to select a single candidate for the award. The committee's choice should then be communicated to the Section Governor, who will present the name of this nominee to the Board of Governors at the appropriate meeting. The nominating committee should provide to the Section Governor a brief summary indicating the reasons for the selection of the nominee. In presenting the nominee to the Board of Governors, the Section Governor should include the citation summarizing the MAA service contributions of the nominee. [Most of this comes from MAA page.] 

The Iowa Section is entitled to nominate someone to receive the Certificate for Meritorious Service once every five years. The Certificate is presented for service to the Section, and/or for service to the MAA at the national level. Previous recipients of the award from the Iowa Section are listed below.

Nomination Process

In years in which the Iowa Section is entitled to nominate someone for a Certificate for Meritorious Service, candidates’ names, along with a short description of service to the MAA and the Iowa Section, should be submitted to the Section Secretary using the nomination form by a designated date, typically in August. The Award Committee will select a nominee for the award and forward that recommendation to the MAA Board of Directors no later than October 1. If the Board of Directors confirms the Section’s recommendation, the Certificate of Meritorious Service will be awarded at MathFest in the following August.