Distinguished Teaching Award

What Is It?

The Wisconsin Section Distinguished Teaching Award was established in 1991. It stands as a concrete statement that mathematicians at the colleges and universities in Wisconsin place high importance on teaching. The Wisconsin Section is proud of its growing list of award recipients. These men and women of mathematics who have been recognized for their excellent work as teachers represent the commitment to teaching that exists among mathematicians throughout the state.

Call for Nominations

Nominations for the MAA Wisconsin Section Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics are now being accepted. The Selection Committee will determine the recipient of the award from those nominated. The awardee will be honored at the Spring meeting of the Section and will be widely recognized and acknowledged within the Section.

Nomination Form

The deadline for consideration for this year's award is Pi Day March 14, 2026.

We urge you to submit a nomination for the MAA-Wisconsin Section Award if you have someone eligible and qualified in your department. Even if not selected this year, it is an honor for someone to have been nominated, and your candidate can likely be nominated again in a future year. Your department will receive recognition for its commitment to excellence in teaching, and the work done in preparing a nomination folder for your candidate is a tribute in itself. Self-nomination is not permitted.

Eligibility for the Award

College or university teachers assigned at least half-time during the academic year to teaching a mathematical science in a public or private college or university (from two-year college teaching through teaching at the Ph.D. level) in the State of Wisconsin. Those on approved leave (sabbatical or other) during the academic year in which they are nominated qualify if they fulfilled the requirements in the previous year.

• At least seven years teaching experience in a mathematical science.

• Membership in the Mathematical Association of America.

• Previous winners are not eligible.

• Current members of the Wisconsin Section Executive Committee are not eligible.

Selection Procedure

The selection committee will consider all nominations and will make its decision. The person that the committee selects will receive the Wisconsin Section Distinguished Teaching Award and will also, upon receipt of additional supporting material, become the Wisconsin Section nominee for the MAA's Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics. The Wisconsin Section Award will be presented to the recipient at the Wisconsin Section Annual Spring Meeting.

If Your Nominee Is Selected...

In the happy event that your candidate is selected for the Wisconsin Section Award, you will be called upon to help gather additional supporting material so that your candidate becomes a candidate for the Haimo Award. An outline of the nomination process can be found on the MAA website Additional supporting material required for the national award consists of up to 3 pages of additional documentation (e.g. student evaluation of instruction scores, student comments, documentation of increased student participation in math contests, etc.) and five letters of recommendation from persons other than the nominator. These five letters must be distributed as follows:

• 2 letters from colleagues,

• 2 letters from students present or past,

• 1 letter from anyone qualified to comment on the candidate's teaching.