His unwavering commitment to excellence and outstanding academic performance makes Spencer Whitehead (BMath ’21) the recipient of the Alumni Gold Medal for the Faculty of Mathematics.
Spencer Whitehead, a Pure Mathematics major with and a minor in East Asian studies, is the recipient of the prestigious Jessie W.H. Zou Memorial Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research.
Dan Ursu, a PhD student in the Department of Pure Mathematics has received the 2021 Huawei Prizes for Best Research Paper by a Mathematics Graduate Student. Ursu is one of two students to receive this prestigious award.
Every mathematician solves math problems, but only a handful of mathematicians study the logical reasoning that they and their colleagues use to solve problems. They focus on the journey, not just the destination.
Rahim Moosa, a professor in the Department of Pure Mathematics, was pursuing a degree in liberal arts at McMaster University when a philosophy professor introduced him to model theory, which applies logic to algebra, geometry, number theory and other core areas of math.
“Two of my high school math teachers were alumni of Waterloo Math, and they constantly raved about the university,” remembered Gurtaj Dhaliwal. In spite of his teachers’ occasionally excessive cheerleading, the Brampton native pursued his passion for mathematics to the Department of Pure Mathematics within the Waterloo Faculty of Mathematics. “I love that moment where a difficult abstract concept just clicks,” he expressed. “Pure Math lets me delve deeper and deeper into the mental challenge of solving puzzles.”
Born and raised in Nova Scotia, George attended Dalhousie University to complete both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Following his graduation, he headed West and taught undergraduate math at Victoria College and the University of British Columbia where he completed his doctorate in 1958.
One of the 2019/2020 recipients of the Faculty of Mathematics Award for Distinction in Teaching was Kathryn Hare.
The award recognizes the teachers’ consistent demonstration of outstanding pedagogical skills and a deep commitment to their students’ education.
The faculty presents a maximum of two Faculty of Mathematics Award for Distinction in Teaching annually. Outstanding teachers at all levels, from first-year through to graduate studies, are eligible with recipients receiving a public citation along with a cash prize.
“While working as an instructional support assistant (ISA), I remember the first time a professor asked for a volunteer to teach a lecture while he was at a conference,” remembers Josué Kurke. “My hand shot up. I donned a professorial kind of jacket with the elbow patches and went all out. Over time, I’ve realized that I feel most at home in front of a classroom. I want to spend my career talking to people about math.”
Learn more about this student studying Pure Mathematics and Combinatorics & Optimization.
Pure Mathematics Professor William Slofstra has received a 2020 Faculty of Mathematics Golden Jubilee Research Excellence Award.