Distinguished
Professor
Emeritus
Ron
Mullin (left,
with
Therese
Lee,
PhD
1995)
has
been
named
the
first
recipient
of
the
Stanton
Medal,
which
is
awarded
by
the
Institute
for
Combinatorics
and
its
Applications
(ICA).
The
Stanton
medal
is
awarded
to
"honour
significant
lifetime
contributions
to
promoting
the
discipline
of
combinatorics
through
advocacy,
outreach,
service,
teaching
and/or
mentoring".
Here
is
the
citation
for
the
medal:
For
fifty
years,
Ron
Mullin
has
been
a
leading
citizen
of
the
combinatorics
community.
In
addition
to
his
exemplary
research
career,
Ron’s
contributions
have
been
extensive
as
cofounder
of
one
of
the
longest
running
combinatorial
conferences;
cofounder
of
a
leading
journal;
managing
editor;
textbook
author;
and
cofounder
of
a
company
engaged
in
cryptography.
As
Professor
and
Chair
of
Combinatorics
and
Optimization
at
the
University
of
Waterloo
and
as
President
of
the
ICA,
his
focus
on
fostering
and
supporting
international
collaborations
has
also
had
substantial
positive
impact.
His
mentorship
of
students
and
colleagues
has
launched
many
successful
careers
in
combinatorial
design
theory,
statistics,
and
cryptography.
Ron
is
a
modest
man,
who
works
tirelessly
to
support
and
advance
combinatorics.
As
his
nominators
say,
Ron
is
"one
of
those
rare
persons
of
extreme
intelligence,
love
of
knowledge,
passion
for
mathematics,
and
the
ability
to
transmit
mathematical
excitement
to
students
and
colleagues
alike."
