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2021 Award Winner Announced for MAA’s Inclusivity Award

Inspired by one professor’s devotion and the impact they have made in the field of mathematics.

WASHINGTON, DC (July 28, 2021)The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) is pleased to recognize William Hawkins with its 2021 Inclusivity Award.

Inclusivity Award

In 2019, MAA launched the Inclusivity Award in recognition of the importance of its core value of Inclusivity and building a healthy, vibrant mathematical community where all are welcome and encouraged to flourish. The 2021 award winner is William (Bill) Hawkins, Jr.

About Award Winner

UnderDr. Hawkins’s leadership, the SUMMA Office created an archival record of American PhDs in mathematics and mathematics education who are members of minority groups, initiated the Minority Chairs Breakfast annually, established the Tensor-SUMMA projects “to encourage the pursuit and enjoyment of mathematics by students who are members of groups historically underrepresented in the field of mathematics,” organized panels at JMM on issues that affected minority institutions or populations, published a poster on African and African-American Pioneers in Mathematics, and provided guidance to those who wanted to establish an intervention project.

Dr. Hawkins said “I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Mathematical Association of America for giving me the 2021 MAA Inclusivity Award. As much as I enjoyed teaching mathematics to minority and other students, the MAA and its Strengthening Underrepresented Minority Mathematics Achievement (SUMMA) Program enabled me to have an impact far beyond my home institution. The support of the MAA Executive Directors, MAA staff, Dr. Florence Fasanelli, and the MAA Committee on Minority Participation was absolutely critical to the success of the various SUMMA initiatives.”

“I am especially pleased that Dr. Candice Price, Assistant Professor at Smith College, is the new director of the MAA Tensor-SUMMA Program for minority pre-college students participating in mathematical science activities at colleges and universities. She was a participant in one of the first SUMMA-funded undergraduate research programs at California State University-Chico directed by Dr. Thomas Mattman. So the circle remains unbroken. Once again, thank you so very much.”

“I am delighted to be able to recognize my friend and colleague, Bill Hawkins, with the 2021 Inclusivity Award,” said MAA Executive Director, Michael Pearson. “It has been my privilege to work with, and learn from, Bill during my tenure at MAA.”