Sylvia T. Bozeman Receives AAAS Mentor Award

February 27, 2009

Mathematician Sylvia T. Bozeman of Spelman College, in Atlanta, has been honored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for her commitment toward increasing the number of African-American women holding doctoral degrees in mathematics.

Bozeman received the AAAS Mentor Award during the association's 175th Annual Meeting in Chicago. The award included $5,000, a commemorative plaque, and free registration to the scientific gathering.

Bozeman is co-founder and co-director of the Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education (EDGE) initiative, a joint effort between Spelman and Bryn Mawr College to increase the retention rates of female students in mathematics graduate programs. Between 1998 and 2006, during which 105 women entered the program, seventeen, including five African Americans, received doctoral degrees in mathematics or statistics.

Bozeman has taught at Spelman College since 1974. Since Bozeman became chair of the college's mathematics department, 20 graduates have received doctoral degrees in mathematics or math education. Many attributed their decision to attend graduate school to Bozeman's encouragement and mentoring skills.

In 1997, Bozeman became the first African American to be elected a Section Governor of the MAA. Bozeman's honors and awards include the Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award from the Alabama A&M/National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO); Spelman's Presidential Faculty Award for Distinguished Service; the Distinguished Teaching Award from the Southeastern Section of the MAA; the White House Initiative Faculty Award for Excellence in Science and Technology; the Tenneco United Negro College Fund Award for Excellence in Teaching; and election to Phi Beta Kappa.

Source: American Association of the Advancement of Science, Feb. 11, 2009; Spelman College, Feb. 2, 2009.