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MEDIA RELEASE — Feb 12, 2013

Canadian Mathematical Society

MEDIA RELEASE
Feb 12, 2013

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA PROFESSOR GARNERS OUTSTANDING MATH TEACHING AWARD

Gerda de Vries to receive 2014 CMS Excellence in Teaching Award

Professor Gerda de Vries

OTTAWA, Ontario — The Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS) is pleased to announce that Professor Gerda de Vries of the University of Alberta is the recipient of the CMS 2014 Excellence in Teaching Award.

The CMS award recognizes sustained and distinguished contributions in mathematics teaching at the undergraduate level at a Canadian post-secondary education institution. The award is given annually to an individual who has proven excellence as a teacher and demonstrates a high degree of effectiveness in the classroom. Nelson Education is a proud sponsor of the award.

"Professor de Vries brings her own excitement about mathematics and its applications to her teaching and instills that excitement in her students,” said Keith Taylor, CMS President. “This is the kind of excellence that nourishes our discipline.”

Gerda de Vries began her teaching career in 1998 as an assistant professor at the University of Alberta. Since then, de Vries has dedicated herself to advancing mathematical education at the undergraduate level in a variety of ways. In her role as Associate Chair for the University of Alberta’s Mathematics and Statistics department, de Vries was paramount to the development of the Decima Robinson Support Centre for Mathematical and Statistical Science, a help center for mathematics students at the University of Alberta. De Vries also assisted in the coordination of several multi-section introductory math courses that were designed in a way to ensure fair mark distribution across different sections.

“Not only does Professor de Vries exhibit the passion and intellectual force of an exceptional teacher, she has an impressive record of innovative curriculum development at many levels all the way from modules in applied mathematics for elementary and secondary students to a highly success course in student research and presentation at the fourth year level.” said Peter Taylor, Chair of the CMS Education Committee.

Prof. de Vries has received many honours for her teaching work including the President’s Achievement Award “Dare to Discover”, Overall Achievement for Science 100: Learning Beyond Boundaries in 2011 and the prestigious Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences Education Prize in 2009.

Prof. de Vries completed her undergraduate degree in mathematics at the University of Waterloo in 1985 and earned her Doctor of Philosophy of Mathematics from the University of British Columbia in 1995. She currently holds a position as a professor of mathematics at the University of Alberta and also serves as the Associate Chair for the university’s Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at the undergraduate level.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Peter Taylor, Chair
CMS Education Committee
Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics
Queen's University
Kingston, Ontario
(613) 533-2390
chair-edc@cms.math.ca
or Jessica St-James
Communications and Special Projects Officer
Canadian Mathematical Society
(613) 733-2662 ext. 728
commsp@cms.math.ca

About the Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS)

The CMS is the national mathematics organization whose goal is to promote the advancement, discovery, learning, and application of mathematics. The Society's activities cover the whole spectrum of mathematics including: scientific meetings, research publications, and the promotion of excellence in mathematics education at all levels. The CMS annually sponsors mathematics awards and prizes that recognize outstanding achievements.