Washington, D.C. - The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) is pleased to announce Travis Kowalski as the 2021 recipient of the Chauvenet Prize.

Chauvenet Prize

Established in 1925, the Chauvenet Prize recognizes an outstanding expository article on a mathematical topic. Named for William Chauvenet, a professor of mathematics at the United States Naval Academy, the winners of this prize are distinguished mathematical expositors. The winning article has advanced mathematics with informative and digestible information.

Travis Kowalski is a professor of mathematics at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. He will receive the prize for his outstanding expository article on a mathematical topic, for “The Sine of a Single Degree,” The College Mathematics Journal 47 (2016).

The article leads readers on a hunt for sin of 1o, enticing readers to delve more deeply into geometry, algebra, and complex numbers while writing for a wide mathematical audience. “So many Chauvenet Prize laureates are mathematicians who inspired me to see mathematics as an expression of artistry and humanity as well as an exercise in logic and rigor,” said Travis Kowalski. “I am profoundly humbled to be considered among them.”

“The Chauvenet Prize honors outstanding communication of mathematics, a core value of MAA,” said Michael Pearson, executive director. “Prof. Kowalski’s contribution offers readers an invitation to explore surprising connections and share in the joy of discovery.”