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Paul Manthey Zorn, MAA President

Born: Tamil Nadu, India

Zorn is a professor of mathematics at St. Olaf College and president of the MAA.

Education and Career

Zorn moved to the U.S. to attend Washington University in Saint Louis, majoring in mathematics and English. His did his Ph.D. work, in several complex variables, at the University of Washington, Seattle, under the direction of Edgar Lee Stout.

In 1981, he joined the faculty of St. Olaf College, where he now chairs the Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science. He has also taught at Purdue University.

Zorn's professional interests include complex analysis, mathematical exposition, textbook writing, and the role of mathematics among the liberal arts. He is also interested in using computer graphics and computer algebra systems to help students learn and explore mathematical ideas.

His 1986 paper "The Bieberbach Conjecture" was awarded the 1987 Carl B. Allendoerfer Award for mathematical exposition.

Zorn has co-authored several books with St. Olaf colleague Arnold Ostebee, including Calculus From Numerical, Graphical, and Symbolic Points of View, 2nd edition (two volumes, published 2001) and Multivariable Calculus From Numerical, Graphical, and Symbolic Points of View (published 2002). His most recent book is Understanding Real Analysis (AK Peters, 2010).

Zorn has served on many MAA committees and programs over the years. From 1996 to 2000, he was editor of the MAA's expository journal Mathematics Magazine. In 2008 and 2009 he served as chair of the MAA's Council on Publications.

External Resources

Faculty website at St. Olaf College

MAA biography

The Mathematics Genealogy Project