The MAA is thrilled to announce the 2025 recipients of the Chauvenet Prize, the Euler Book Prize, the Daniel Solow Author’s Award, the George Pólya Awards, the Paul R. Halmos–Lester R. Ford Awards, the Trevor Evans Award, and the Carl B. Allendoerfer Awards.
Chauvenet Prize
Jordan S. Ellenberg (2021). Geometry, Inference, Complexity, and Democracy. Bulletin (New Series) of the American Mathematical Society, 58(1), 55 - 77, https://doi.org/10.1090/bull/1708.
In Geometry, Inference, Complexity, and Democracy, Jordan S. Ellenberg examines the challenge of fairly dividing democratic polities into legislative districts. Drawing on his 2020 Current Events Bulletin lecture, Ellenberg highlights recent mathematical approaches to measuring fairness, illustrating both their strengths and limitations with compelling examples from the U.S. and beyond.
Avoiding technical jargon, Ellenberg makes intricate ideas understandable and relevant, offering a thoughtful exploration of how mathematics can inform and influence democratic processes. His work underscores the power of mathematics to engage with pressing societal issues, an exemplary model of expository writing and scholarship.
“It's a great honor to be recognized in this way for popularizing a problem of both mathematical and social importance.”
Euler Book Prize
Ismar Volíc, Wellesley College
Making Democracy Count: How Mathematics Improves Voting, Electoral Maps, and Representation, Princeton University Press (2024).
Ismar Volić’s Making Democracy Count is a timely and engaging exploration of the mathematics that underpins democratic systems. With clarity and conviction, Volić brings complex topics, such as voting theory, apportionment, gerrymandering, and the Electoral College, to life, showing how mathematics plays a crucial role in collective decision-making.
Grounded in real-world examples and accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Making Democracy Count offers essential insights without political bias, encouraging critical thinking about how democracy functions and how it can be strengthened. Volić’s thoughtful and compelling work exemplifies the spirit of the Euler Book Prize, demonstrating the power of mathematics to inform civic life.
“I am honored to receive the Euler Book Prize and I extend my deepest gratitude to the Mathematical Association of America and to all those who have found Making Democracy Count worthy of this award.”
Daniel Solow Author’s Award
David Austin, Grand Valley State University
Understanding Linear Algebra, 2023. https://understandinglinearalgebra.org/home.html
David Austin of Grand Valley State University is recognized for his innovative and accessible textbook, Understanding Linear Algebra. Praised for its clarity and practical relevance, the book introduces students to real-world applications, including the Google PageRank algorithm and image compression. One student remarked, “David Austin’s Understanding Linear Algebra, has a way of making linear algebra appear so integrated into modern life that you start thinking of it as essential; something you would be foolish to ignore. It's everywhere, and the book shows you that quite well.”
A standout feature of the text is its integration of interactive SAGE cells, which guide students in developing computational thinking and confidence in coding. These embedded tools support hands-on exploration and deepen conceptual understanding.Understanding Linear Algebra has been widely adopted and praised by students and faculty. It offers a fresh, modern approach that makes abstract ideas tangible and applicable.
Reflecting on the award, Austin shared:“I am deeply appreciative of the MAA for recognizing Understanding Linear Algebra and to Daniel Solow for proposing and funding this award. This book would not exist without the help of many.”
George Pólya Awards
Tova Brown & Brody Johnson (2024). Pull-Back Cars: Vehicles for the Instruction of Differential Equations, The College Mathematics Journal, 55:3, 192-204. DOI: 10.1080/07468342.2024.2302300
In the article “Pull-Back Cars: Vehicles for the Instruction of Differential Equations,” Brown and Johnson provide a creative and compelling approach to teaching differential equations through the use of toy pull-back cars. They develop models that lead readers to form ideas about acceleration and more complex ideas, such as the Laplace transform.
This high-quality yet simple paper provides readers with a guide to the modeling process. By using a common item, students can better understand how differential equations describe motion and other processes.
“It’s very exciting to receive the George Pólya Award for our pull-back cars paper! Modeling provides rich opportunities to explore, and we had a lot of fun.”
Jason Snyder (2024). A Modern Spin on Archimedes’ Quadrature of the Parabola, The College Mathematics Journal, 55:2, 134-139. DOI: 10.1080/07468342.2023.227899
In “A Modern Spin on Archimedes’ Quadrature of the Parabola,” Jason Snyder revisits a classic geometry problem through the lens of calculus, presenting it in a way that is accessible to first-year students. He introduces Archimedes’ original solution and then offers two modernized approaches: one using optimization and geometric series, and another applying the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. The contrast between the two, one spanning several pages and the other just two paragraphs, demonstrates the flexibility of calculus in offering intuitive solutions.
Snyder’s clear explanations and well-crafted illustrations help explain complex concepts, providing a valuable learning resource for students and educators alike. His work enriches classroom instruction and sparks deeper interest in the historical foundations of mathematics.
Snyder expressed his gratitude upon receiving this recognition: “I am deeply grateful to the Mathematical Association of America and the awards committees for choosing my article to receive the George Pólya Award.”
Paul R. Halmos-Lester R. Ford Awards
Mario Gómez & Facundo Mémoli (2024). The Four Point Condition: An Elementary Tropicalization of Ptolemy’s Inequality, The American Mathematical Monthly, 131:3, 187-203. DOI: 10.1080/00029890.2023.2285695
In their award-winning work, Gómez and Mémoli explore an connection between two ideas from very different mathematical worlds: Ptolemy’s inequality, a geometric principle dating back to ancient Greece, and the four-point condition, a concept used to describe distances in tree-like structures.
Reflecting on this honor, Gómez shared: “We are immensely grateful to receive the Paul R. Halmos-Lester R. Ford award. I grew up watching "Donald in Mathmagic Land" (more times than I can count, as kids often do), dreaming of becoming a member of the Pythagorean Society, and now I feel like Donald Duck shaking the hand of Pythagoras (or rather, Ptolemy).”
Mémoli added: “We were honored and delighted to learn that our paper was selected for the Paul R. Halmos–Lester R. Ford Award. It was especially gratifying to uncover a unifying perspective linking two inequalities that arose in different areas of mathematics.”
Donald Teets (2024). Lagrange Points and the James Webb Space Telescope, The American Mathematical Monthly, 131:4, 309-318. DOI: 10.1080/00029890.2023.2298161
In the article “Lagrange Points and the James Webb Space Telescope,” Donald Teets amends Joseph-Louis Lagrange's solution to the “three-body problem” by using vector and matrix notations. By outlining Lagrange’s basic structure while also giving space for readers to fill in calculations, individuals can figure out for themselves the location of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Teets expressed his gratitude upon receiving this award: “Publishing the Lagrange point article in any journal would have been good. Publishing it in the Monthly was better than 'good'; it was extraordinary. And receiving the Halmos-Ford award for this article is nothing short of spectacular!”
Will Traves & David Wehlau (2024). Ten Points on a Cubic, The American Mathematical Monthly, 131:2, 112-130. DOI: 10.1080/00029890.2023.2274240
Building on Blaise Pascal's work, Traves and Wehlau develop a similar straightedge construction to test whether ten points lie on a degree-3 curve. They provide an intriguing historical overview of “constructibility problems and synthetic geometry” and end with various exercises and open research questions.
“It is an honour to receive the Halmos-Ford Award, named for two stellar teachers of mathematics. The problem we worked on—to devise a straightedge construction that checks whether ten points lie on a cubic curve—was originally assigned to us by Bernd Sturmfels at the MSRI workshop on Combinatorial Commutative Algebra and its Applications in 2012, and we are pleased to finally submit our solution. It is really awe-inspiring to work on a problem that Pascal would have understood and possibly even considered.”
Adrian Rice (2024). “The Riddle of the Ages”: James Joseph Sylvester and the Transcendence of π, The American Mathematical Monthly, 131:6, 463-478. DOI:10.1080/00029890.2024.2322944
Written by Adrian Rice, the article “The Riddle of the Ages’: James Joseph Sylvester and the Transcendence of π”, explores a forgotten paper by Sylvester. Throughout the article, Rice details various mathematical concepts ranging from transcendental numbers to continued fractions. The article ends on a personal note, showing how Sylvester’s friends supported him after he published a flawed paper, revealing the human side of mathematical history.
Reflecting on the award, Rice stated: “I am thrilled to receive this award from the MAA for a paper which I hope will introduce readers to a fascinating story from the history of mathematics in the closing years of the 19th century.”
Trevor Evans Award
Kristen Mazur, Mutiara Sondjaja, Matthew Wright & Carolyn Yarnall (2024). Illuminating Illustration: Interesting Intersections and Helly's Theorem, Math Horizons, 32:1, 8-11.
This article presents the fascinating results of the intersection of convex sets. The explanation of Helly’s Theorem in two dimensions is clear and accessible, with a small portion left as an exercise to encourage learning and engagement. With appealing visuals, the article successfully balances clarity and rigor while inviting further learning.
The group expressed their gratitude upon receiving this recognition: “We are delighted that our article has been so well received! We thank the MAA and the selection committee for this award. As far as we can determine, this is the first time that Helly’s Theorem has appeared in Math Horizons. We hope that this award brings recognition to the theorem and inspires more people to explore geometric intersection problems.”
Carl B. Allendoerfer Awards
Jeffrey D. Blanchard and Marc Chamberland (2024). Salvaging College Registrations During COVID-19 via Integer Programming. Mathematics Magazine, 97(2), 167–180. https://doi.org/10.1080/0025570X.2022.2089472
Written by Blanchard and Chamberland, the article, “Salvaging College Registrations During COVID-19 via Integer Programming,” presents a compelling case study on adapting Grinnell College’s class registration during the pandemic. Alongside the case study, the article offers a clear, concise introduction to integer programming, while highlighting the importance of flexibility in modeling real-world problems.
Reflecting on this award, Blanchard shared: “It is a wonderful surprise to be recognized with the MAA’s Allendoerfer Award. The story of this project starts with a global tragedy, a meeting many feet apart in my backyard, an incredible amount of work, and a persistence that paid off with this incredible recognition.”
Chamberland added: “It is a wonderful honor to receive the Carl B. Allendoerfer Award. The MAA’s journals, which explicitly value not only solid content but also engaging, well-organized exposition, have long held my admiration. The mathematical community is well-served by these journals. It’s humbling to be added to the list of accomplished communicators.”
William Q. Erickson (2024). The Break Buddy Problem. Mathematics Magazine, 97(2), 194–199. https://doi.org/10.1080/0025570X.2024.2312800
Erickson analyzes a system with 10 lifeguards rotating through 7 lifeguard stations and 3 break stations. Each lifeguard follows a cycle of 3 stations, a break, 4 stations, then two consecutive breaks. A “break buddy” is someone who shares both of your breaks. Erickson shows that your break buddy is the person 5 positions ahead or behind you in the rotation.
“Among Carl Allendoerfer's contributions to math education was a series of whimsical, short, animated films explaining concepts such as cycloids or set theory, or the Gauss-Bonnet theorem. I am, therefore, especially honored to receive this award bearing his name, having tried my best to convey something similar in spirit – a brief, offbeat glimpse at a concrete problem with a neat solution.”
Learn more about the awards and submit a nomination.
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