The Mathematical Association of America is proud to announce this year's Meritorious Service Award recipients: Annalisa Crannell, Brittney Miller, Janet Liou-Mark, James Sellers, Jennifer Quinn, and Laura Watkins.
Meritorious Service Awards
Meritorious Service Certificates are awarded based on recommendations from MAA Sections, recognizing significant service either at the national level or to an individual Section. First presented in 1984, these awards annually honor exceptional dedication and contributions across several Sections.
Annalisa Crannell
The Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware Section proudly recognizes Dr. Annalisa Crannell, Professor Emerita of Franklin & Marshall College, with the Certificate of Meritorious Service. Over more than two decades, Dr. Crannell has served EPaDel in numerous leadership roles, including Vice Chair, Chair, and two terms as Section Governor. At the national level, she currently serves as Editor of The American Mathematical Monthly and has contributed to the MAA Council on Meetings and Professional Development, the Gung and Hu Award Committee, and the Advisory Board for the MAA Instructional Practices Guide. Her creativity and commitment to community were on full display when she composed and directed a musical performed by section members as part of EPaDel's Centennial celebration in 2015.
Crannell stated, “This award is something I'm deeply grateful for precisely because it reaffirms all that delights me about the wonderful people I've gotten to work with in my EPaDel section and in the larger MAA: that is, because it's been the joy of my life to get to do what I love with people who (fortunately for me) love what I do.”
Brittney Miller
The Iowa Section of the Mathematical Association of America recognizes Dr. Brittney Miller, Associate Professor of Mathematics at Coe College, with the Certificate of Meritorious Service. Over the past ten years, Dr. Miller has served in nearly every section leadership role, including Vice Chair, Chair, and Past Chair, while also contributing to the Iowa NExT steering committee. She is equally dedicated to bringing the next generation into the fold, consistently encouraging her students to attend and present at section meetings, the Midwest Undergraduate Mathematics Symposium, and the Iowa Collegiate Mathematics Competition.
Miller stated, “I am honored that my friends and colleagues in the Iowa section selected me for this award. I am lucky to be part of an incredible community of mathematics educators, due in part to my participation in Project NExT.”
Janet Liou-Mark
The Metro New York Section of the Mathematical Association of America honors Dr. Janet Liou-Mark with the Certificate of Meritorious Service in recognition of her lasting contributions to the section and to mathematics education more broadly. Dr. Liou-Mark served in multiple leadership roles within the section, including as Section Chair, and played a key role in the creation of Metro NExT. She was a tireless advocate for first-generation college students, women, and underrepresented minorities in STEM, and developed an annual section award to recognize and elevate outstanding student researchers. Dr. Liou-Mark passed away before receiving this recognition, and the MAA is honored to celebrate her memory and her legacy.
According to Liou-Mark’s daughter, “Thank you so much for remembering and recognizing my mother through this award. She would have been deeply honored to receive it. My mom always loved mathematics, but even more than that, she loved people. Serving those around her at City Tech and through the MAA allowed her to bring those two passions together.”
James Sellers
The North Central Section of the Mathematical Association of America proudly recognizes Dr. James Sellers with the Certificate of Meritorious Service for his decades of contributions to the MAA at both the section and national levels. Dr. Sellers has served as Governor and Chair in the Allegheny Section, as MAA Secretary from 2018 to 2022, and currently serves as Information Officer for the North Central Section. He has contributed to numerous national committees and has been recognized previously with the MAA Allegheny Section Distinguished Teaching Award, the Mentoring Award, and the George Pólya Award. He is also a two-time Fulbright Scholar.
Reflecting on the award, Sellers stated, “I am truly grateful to receive this recognition, and I thank the leadership of the MAA North Central Section for nominating me for this honor. I am especially honored to join others who have received the Meritorious Service Prize from the MAA North Central Section in the recent past. Many of these people are long-time colleagues and friends, and I have always admired their work and dedication to the MAA and to the broader mathematical community.”
Jennifer Quinn
The Pacific Northwest Section of the Mathematical Association of America proudly recognizes Dr. Jennifer Quinn with the Certificate of Meritorious Service for her extraordinary lifetime commitment to mathematics and to the mathematical community. Dr. Quinn served as MAA President in 2021 and 2022, has held numerous leadership roles including chair of the Council on Publications and Communications, and received both the MAA Distinguished Teaching Award and the Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award. She is currently channeling that same energy into her role as Executive Director of the Seattle Universal Math Museum, a new institution dedicated to making mathematics accessible and engaging for all.
In response to the award, Quinn stated, “Thank you for this honor. The Mathematical Association of America has been my professional home from the very beginning. Early in my career, people invited me to participate, encouraged me to contribute, and gave me opportunities to grow professionally and personally. Those invitations shaped not only my career, but also my understanding of what a professional community can and should be.”
Laura Watkins
The Southwestern Section of the Mathematical Association of America recognizes Dr. Laura Watkins, Mathematics Faculty at Glendale Community College, with the Certificate of Meritorious Service for her sustained and wide-ranging leadership in mathematics education. Dr. Watkins served as President of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges from 2022 to 2023 and as President of ArizMATYC, while also contributing to the MAA Southwestern Section as a presenter and newsletter editor. She currently serves as President of the Board of Trustees for COMAP and has led multiple NSF-funded initiatives focused on algebra instruction, accessibility in STEM, and faculty professional development.
Watkins stated, “I am honored to receive the MAA Southwestern Section Certificate of Meritorious Service and grateful to the colleagues who nominated me for this recognition. My involvement with professional organizations has been one of the most meaningful parts of my career, not because of any positions I held, but because of the people I have had the opportunity to know, learn from, and work alongside.”
Learn more about MAA prizes and submit a nomination.
About MAA
The Mathematical Association of America is the world’s largest community of mathematicians, students, and enthusiasts. We accelerate our understanding of our world through mathematics because mathematics drives society and shapes our lives. Learn more at maa.org.