The MAA provides three Section Lecturer programs on a three-year rotation: the George Pólya Lecturer program and the MAA NAM and MAA AWM Section Lecturer programs. Each Section is eligible to invite a speaker from one of the programs each year.

George Pólya embodied the high quality of exposition that the Mathematical Association of America seeks to encourage. Beginning in 2022, the MAA is accelerating the rotation schedule for appointing a new Pólya Lecturer from five years to three years, and adding two new speaker programs, also on three-year rotations, to provide all Sections with a funded invited lecture every year!

The two new programs have been developed in partnership with the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) and the National Association of Mathematicians (NAM), to better engage the three organizations in an ongoing dialogue through participation at Section meetings: the MAA AWM Section Lecturer Program, and the MAA NAM Section Lecturer Program. The lectures are meant to be mathematical and the speakers will represent earlier-career mathematicians and serve to introduce audiences to new faces.

Each year, the Pólya, MAA AWM, and MAA NAM Lecturers will be notified as to which sections are eligible for a visit during that year. Sections should contact the lecturer directly to coordinate a visit.

View Lecturers by Program - MAA Pólya  MAA AWM MAA NAM

Section Lecturer Series Rotation
Academic Year (AY) 24-25 is designated AY = 0, Mod 3

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It is customary for the Section to waive any registration, banquet, and social fees for the lecturer. The Lecturer will pay his/her own travel expenses and will be reimbursed for by the Association. Should, by accident, a section invite two speakers, it will be asked to reimburse the Association for the more expensive trip.

Reimbursement forms can be found here.

Each section is asked to be a thoughtful host. In the crush of meeting details and the distribution of duties amongst section officers and local arrangements faculty, it is sometimes easy for responsibilities to fall through the cracks. Please be sure to consider your visitors' arrangements for travel, lodging, meals, local transportation and registration. In the days of "Saturday night stay overs", it is especially cordial that the section considers Saturday evening dining arrangements. At least give visiting speakers options ("a ride would be great" or "I'll catch a cab") for airport pickups, get-togethers at meals, etc. Be sure to communicate fully about the schedule of events at your meeting.

If you are a lecturer and have any questions, a useful reference sheet can be found here. If the answer to your question is not on this document, please contact the MAA Communities Coordinator at communities@maa.org for assistance.

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To learn more about each speaker and their topics, please click on their name to visit their individual page.

MAA Pólya Speakers

MAA AWM Speakers

MAA NAM Speakers

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Questions about Section Lecturers? Email MAA Communities at Communities@maa.org