Gerald J. Porter Recognized by the Mathematical Association of America

portrait of Jerry Porter

Gerald J. Porter, Professor of Mathematics Emeritus, has been awarded the Yueh-Gin Gung and Dr. Charles Y. Hu Award for Distinguished Service to Mathematics. The recognition is the most prestigious award for services presented by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and honors distinguished contributions to mathematics and mathematical education.

The Gung-Hu Award Committee states, “Jerry’s service has been in teaching, teacher education, research, MAA administration, and, most importantly of all, in leading the profession, especially the MAA, to value racial and gender diversity in all activities…. As an Association, MAA is stronger and a model for others because Jerry Porter’s insistence that we be fair, inclusive, and welcoming has expanded our community with mathematicians who respect and include all.”

Porter joined the Department of Mathematics as an assistant professor in 1965 and became emeritus in 2005. Over the course of his career, he introduced computing into his classroom, served as Associate Dean for Computing Services and Facilities for Penn Arts & Sciences, and published widely on active learning and algebraic topology.

 

Arts & Sciences News

1 / 2
Fourteen from Penn Arts & Sciences Receive Fulbrights for 2025-26 Academic Year

They will conduct research, pursue graduate degrees, or teach English in places including Thailand, Austria, Indonesia, Moldova, and many other places.

View Article >
Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw Named James and Nan Wagner Farquhar Professor of History of Art

Shaw’s main areas of research include portraiture and issues of representation in the art of the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean, from the 1500s to the present day.

View Article >
Hanming Fang Named Inaugural Norman C. Grosman Professor of Economics

An applied microeconomist who integrates rigorous modeling with data analysis, Fang’s research within the field of public economics focuses on health insurance and healthcare markets.

View Article >
Xi Song Named Inaugural Schiffman Family Presidential Associate Professor of Sociology

Song’s research interests include social mobility, occupations, Asian Americans, population studies, and quantitative methodology.

View Article >
Julie Nelson Davis Named Paul F. Miller, Jr. and E. Warren Shafer Miller Professor of History of Art

Davis specializes in the arts and material cultures of 18th- and 19th-century Japan, with a focus on prints, paintings, and illustrated books.

View Article >
Justin Khoury Named Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Term Professor of Physics and Astronomy

Khoury’s research interests lie at the intersection of particle physics and cosmology.

View Article >