LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas mathematics department recently recognized its undergraduate and graduate students and faculty for outstanding academic and teaching achievements.
Usually these awards are presented at the department’s annual honors banquet, but due to COVID-19 concerns, the banquet was not held this year.
Students received over $137,000 in awards and scholarships. Funds for the awards and scholarships are administered through the KU Endowment Association.
Kansas award winners are listed below. A full list of honorees and scholarship winners is available online.
The Kansas Algebra Program recognized two student employees, including Hannah Bachman, a senior in biochemistry from Wichita, for outstanding contributions to teaching, tutoring and extra duties.
The R.D. Brown Award for Undergraduate Excellence was given to Pierce Giffin, a senior in mathematics and physics from Leawood. This award was established in memory of Professor Robert Brown by gifts from his family and friends to provide awards for a senior majoring in mathematics who has demonstrated the most impressive overall achievement in the field of mathematics during his or her undergraduate career. Brown was a faculty member from 1963 to 2009 and served as associate chair and director of undergraduate studies.
John Byrne, a senior in mathematics and economics from Overland Park; Drake Clark, a senior in mathematics and computer engineering from Lenexa, and Jack Johnston, a senior in mathematics, economics and physics from Overland Park, received a cash award to recognize their outstanding performance on the William Lowell Putnam Competition. This is a mathematics competition open to all regularly enrolled undergraduates in colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada.
Aaron Barrett, Abilene, received the Ralph Byers Student Award. This award is presented to outstanding graduate students in numerical analysis in memory of Professor Ralph Byers. Byers was a faculty member in the department from 1987 to 2007.
Undergraduate scholarships for are awarded to math majors and non-majors with a strong concentration in math classes based on merit. Graduate summer scholarships are awarded to mathematics graduate students who have passed both qualifying exams and are awarded so advanced graduate students can concentrate on research and prepare for their preliminary oral comprehensive exam. The Kansas recipients are as follows:
Zachary Atkins, Lansing, Wealthy Babcock / T.P. and Saroja Srinivasan Scholar.
Jared Bramble, Tonganoxie, Rollin S. Wade Memorial Scholar.
Jordan Bramble, Tonganoxie, Joan Kirkham Scholarship for Women in Mathematics Scholar.
Morgan Cassidy, Columbus, Edith S. Kornbleet Scholar.
John Childress, Kansas City, Albert F. Zernickow-Barbara Kile - T.P. and Saroja Srinivasan Scholar.
Alaura Custard, Overland Park, Joan Kirkham Scholarship for Women in Mathematics Scholar.
Claire Dopp, Olathe, Wealthy Babcock Scholar.
Jonathan Downs, Fort Leavenworth, Rollin S. Wade Scholar.
Grant Gollier, Lawrence, Black-Babcock / Rollin S. Wade Scholar.
Mitchell Harger, McPherson, Charles Ashton / Charles Hobb Scholar.
Cameron Harris, Overland Park, T.P. and Saroja Srinivasan Scholar.
John Higgins, Olathe, Rollin S. Wade Memorial Scholar.
Jack Johnston, Overland Park, Charles H. Ashton Scholar.
Gregory Landgraf, Garden City, Black-Babcock Scholar.
Ryan Lundquist, Olathe, Black-Babcock Scholar.
Noah Mohabbat, Overland Park, Edith S. Kornbleet Scholar.
Jui Nagarkar, Overland Park, Black-Babcock Scholar.
Florencio Perez, Emporia, Albert F. Zernickow-Barbara Kile / T.P. and Saroja Srinivasan Scholar.
Daniel Schmidt, Olathe, Black-Babcock / Rollin S. Wade Scholar.
Michael Svoren, Overland Park, Black-Babcock Scholar.
Evan Whited, Overland Park, Edith S. Kornbleet Scholar.
Ariel Wyatt, Manhattan, Joan Kirkham Scholarship for Women in Mathematics Scholar.
Ryan Frier, Emporia, U.G. Mitchell / Kirkham Opportunity Scholar.
Kevin Marshall, Holton, U.G. Mitchell / Florence Black Scholar.
Yi Yan, Olathe, U.G. Mitchell Scholar.