Honors Day
April 19, 2018
Click on the photos to see larger versions.
John H. Barrett prize
The tradition of the John H. Barrett Prize began in 1970.
It is an annual memorial award given to outstanding undergraduate seniors
who have a concentration in mathematics or are mathematics majors.
Presented by Associate Professor Judy Day
Andrew Wintenberg and Jonathan Mitchell (not present)
Recognition of Putnam Competition Participants
The Putnam Competition is an annual contest among undergraduate students across the United States and Canada.
Presented by Associate Professor Jochen Denzler
Christopher Dean (not present), Joseph Hunter (not present), Jia Liang, Steven Patrick (not present), Andrew Wintenberg, and Viktor Zenkov
Christopher Dean (not present), Joseph Hunter (not present), Jia Liang, Steven Patrick (not present), Andrew Wintenberg, and Viktor Zenkov
J. P. and Gladys Maples Scholarship
J. P. and Gladys Maples set up their scholarship endowment fund to encourage scholastic excellence.
Presented by Assistant Professor Christopher Strickland
Christal Martin
Dorothea and Edgar D. Eaves Summer Fellowship
The Dorothea and Edgar D. Eaves Summer Fellowships were established in 1977 to encourage
high school mathematics teachers to return to the University of Tennessee
during the summer to further the study of mathematics.
Presented by Assistant Professor Mat Langford
Matthew Ellis (not present) and Christopher Garner
Special Recognition Honors Program
The Math Honors Program is a nationally competitive program for highly motivated undergraduate students majoring in mathematics at the University of Tennessee.
Presented by Associate Professor Remus Nicoara
Daniel Barry,
Aram Bejnood,
Jonathan Mitchell,
John Parker Roller,
Paige Schoonover,
Travis Stockinger, and
Andrew Wintenberg
James A. Cooley Scholarship
The James A. Cooley Memorial Scholarship was established to honor the memory of
James A. Cooley and to help qualified and deserving mathematics students secure a
college education. Professor Cooley was Head of the Department of Mathematics from
1942 until he returned to full time teaching in 1961. Preference is given to students
interested in a teaching career.
Presented by Professor Steve Wise
Shay Phagan and Ryan Christopher Unger
Spike Tickle STEM Endowed Fellowship
The Spike Tickle Fellowship was established Mr. John D. "Spike" Tickle to recognize
students who have an outstanding academic performance and desire to use their talents
and education in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). The award is
given to a graduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences to focus on teaching
and/or research efforts in mathematics.
Presented by Professor Alex Freire
Pawel Grzegrzolka (not present), Vy Nguyen, and James Scott
Recognition of Pi Mu Epsilon Tennessee Delta Chapter
Presented by Associate Professor Jochen Denzler
Undergraduate Students
Alan Gan and Ryan Christopher Unger
Alan Gan and Ryan Christopher Unger
Louise Hisey Scholarship
The Louise Hisey Scholarship Fund was a established in 1978 to support Tennessee students
who have demonstrated academic merit.
Presented by Professor Suzanne Lenhart
Christal Martin
Lucille and Herbert Lee Memorial Scholarship
The Lucille and Herbert Lee Scholarship Awards were established in 1986 by a generous
endowment from the Lee estate, and are awarded to sophomore and upperclassmen mathematics
majors with outstanding records of academic achievement. Herbert E. Lee, who received his Ph.D. from Duke
University, taught mathematics at UTK for three decades until his retirement in 1969. He, and his
wife Lucille, were cheerful, friendly, outgoing people who always kept students' welfare in mind.
Presented by Associate Professor Remus Nicoara and Janet Yancey
Lucas Fiet, Alan Gan, Maitraya Ghatak, Matthew Klingerman, Jia Liang, John Park, and Chloe Ross (not present)
Cooper D. Schmitt Memorial Scholarship
The Cooper D. Schmitt Endowment was established in 1987.
The goal of this fund is to provide undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships and appropriate
awards to outstanding students in the Department of Mathematics at The University of Tennessee.
Presented by Assistant Professor Christopher Strickland
Brandon Barker, Alan Gan, Maitraya Ghatak, Jia Liang, Dallas McCash, Shay Phagan, Cody Sartorius, and Ryan Christopher Unger
Polly Anna Harris Scholarship
This scholarship helps support a future mathematics teacher. Applicants must be
fourth-year undergraduate students pursuing a major in mathematics, with intent
to become a high school mathematics teacher. Polly Anna Harris, a former UTK
math major, taught at Bearden High School for many years before she retired.
She was a recipient of the UT Alumna and Presidential Award for outstanding
teaching. This scholarship is sponsored by her family, son, David Harris, MD,
who is also a former UTK math major, and his wife Patricia, son, Frank Harris
and wife T.R. Morgan, daughter, Paula Morrison, also a former UTK math major,
and her husband G. Grainger Morrison.
Presented by Professor Conrad Plaut
Tingting Chen and Alana Cooper
Dr. Glenn R. and Elise I. Young Scholarship
The Dr. Glenn R. and Elise I. Young Scholarship was established in 2010. Its purpose is to support
Physics or Mathematics majors who demonstrate successful academic performance. Preference is given to juniors.
Awards are given in the Mathematics and the Physics Departments.
Presented by Associate Professor Joan Lind
Brandon Bell
Simms Foundation Scholarship
The Simms Foundation Scholarship was created through a generous gift from Carol Sue Simms in 2014.
The Simms Foundation Scholarship is a 4-year merit scholarship awarded to an incoming freshman
with an excellent high school record who will major in math and has an interest in teaching.
Presented by Assistant Professor Marie Jameson and April Conner
Harry Channing
Dr. Warren L. & Kyleen D. Franz Scholarship
The Dr. Warren L. & Kyleen D. Franz Endowed Mathematics Scholarship was established in
2015 to support mathematics majors who demonstrate successful academic performance.
Presented by Assistant Professor Dustin Cartwright and Kyleen D. Franz
Tingting Chen and Alahnah Ligon (not present)
John M. Allen Prizes
The Allen Medal in mathematics was originated by John Mebane Allen in 1890
and has since been presented annually. It is noted to be one of the oldest
awards given by The University of Tennessee. The Allen Medal is given to recognize
freshman students who demonstrate, upon testing, the best knowledge of Algebra,
Plane Geometry, Trigonometry, Analytic Geometry, Single Variable Calculus, and/or any
other areas of mathematics as may be determined by the department head and select faculty members.
John Park
John Park
Presented by Assistant Professor Yu-Ting Chen
1st Place: John Park
2nd Place: Jeongmin Andrew You
Randall E. Cline Award
This award was established by friends and colleagues in memory of Dr. Randall E. Cline.
It is to provide student aid for scholarly activities associated with graduate student work in The University of Tennessee
Department of Mathematics. Currently enrolled and prospective math graduate students are eligible for the award.
Presented by Assistant Professor Tuoc Phan
Mustafa Elmas, Jesse Sautel, and Montgomery Taylor
Yueh-er, Hong-hsu and Clarence Cheng Kuo Fellowship Endowment
The Yueh-er, Hong-hsu and Clarence Cheng Kuo Fellowship Endowment was established in 2003
by Dr. Yueh-er Kuo to promote Masters’ degree education in the Department of Mathematics.
Yueh-er Kuo was a professor in the Department of Mathematics since 1964. She was an expert
in educating Masters’ degree students in addition to her own research. She had 56 thesis and
project students and many of them are very successful in their careers. Hong-hsu Kuo was the
husband of Yueh-er Kuo and was a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Drexel
University in Philadelphia. Clarence Cheng Kuo was the son of Yueh-er and Hong-hsu.
He was a brilliant model student of University Nursery School. This award is given to graduate
students with outstanding academic merit.
Presented by Professor Morwen Thistlethwaite
Samantha Duchscherer,
James Scott,
Andrew Starnes, and
Elise Weir
Graduate Student Achievement Award
The goal of these awards is to recognize outstanding academic achievement among graduate students.
It was established several years ago to parallel the award for outstanding teaching among graduate students.
Presented by Professor Mike Frazier
Montgomery Taylor and Andrew Starnes
Harry Row Scholarship
Harry Row was deeply committed to teaching and spent considerable time working
with teachers. One of his professional goals was to promote the appropriate use of
technology in the teaching of Mathematics. This scholarship funds a teacher who
wants to continue the study of Mathematics and preference is given to those who have
significantly used technology in their teaching.
Presented by Associate Professor Luis Finotti and Jane Row
Stefanie Holmes
Dorothea and Edgar D. Eaves Teaching Awards
The Dorothea and Edgar D. Eaves Awards were established in 1977 in order to recognize outstanding teaching among graduate teaching assistants.
Presented by Professor Ohannes Karakashian
Junior Level Award: Shuler Hopkins and Jack Ryan
Senior Level Award: Mark Bly and Maggie Wieczorek
UT Math Teacher of the Year Award
The Department of Mathematics Teacher of the Year Award is given to
a local high school mathematics teacher who best exemplifies the knowledge of
and enthusiasm for the discipline of mathematics inside the classroom and out.
Presented by Dr. Allison Wolf
Valerie Capps
2017-2018 Graduate Program Graduates
Presented by Professor Xiaobing FengPH.D. GRADUATES
Mark BlyNicholas Dexter (not present)
Mustafa Elmas
Logan Higginbotham (not present)
David Horton (not present)
Xiaoyang Pan (not present)
Rebecca Pettit (not present)
Kevin Sonnanburg (not present)
Andrew Starnes
Brittany Stephenson (not present)
Elise Weir
M.S. Graduates
Joseph Daws (not present)Mahir Demir
Samantha Duchscherer
Lindsey Fox (not present)
Steve Galloway (not present)
Beili Johnson (not present)
Kolin Konjura (not present)
Vy Nguyen
Tricia Phillips
Hamza Ruzayqat (not present)
Cara Sulyok (not present)
Maggie Wieczorek
M.M. Graduates
Janet Chandler (not present)Ginger Davis (not present)
Sonya Hatfield (not present)
Stefanie Holmes
Special Recognition Graduate Students
Presented by Professor Xiaobing Feng
- Kileen Berry received a Science Graduate Student Research Award in 2017.
- Hamza Ruzayqat was awarded a 2017 SARIF Award from Research Office to do research under direction of Dr. Tim Schulze.
- Brents Ring is just awarded a 2018 SARIF Award from Research Office to do research under the direction of Dr. Xiaobing Feng.
- Vy Nguyen is selected to participate the 2018 Graduate Summer School in MSRI (Mathematical Sciences Research Institute), University of California at Berkeley.
- Danielle Burton, Tim Robertson, Hamza Ruzayqat, Adam Spannaus, Wencel Valega Mackenzie, Liet Vo, and Thomas Weighil, each has published one or more joint research papers in 2017-2018.
- Ibrahim Aslan, Kileen Berry, Danielle Burton, Jonathan Clark, Joseph Daws, Valega Mackenzie, each has given a research talk in a mathematical conference in 2017-2018.
- The following students have earned GTA academic progress awards in 2017-2018: Jonathan Clark, Cameron Cook, Shuler Hopkins, Edward Mitchell, Tamara Riggs, Jack Ryan, Jesse Sautel, Mitchel Sutton, Hannah Thompson Jea Hyun Park, Timothy Roberston
Math Graduate Student Council Awards
Teaching Award
This award goes to a professor who has done an exceptional job teaching a course for graduate students this school year. Voted on by the graduate students, this award is meant to recognize the work and dedication a professor has given to help students understand the course material.Service Award
This award goes to a professor who has gone above and beyond to mentor, advise, or in general help graduate students this year in a non-teaching capacity. Voted on by the graduate students, this award is meant to recognize the extraordinary work a professor has done to foster students' progress through the program and/or aid students in their preparation for a career.
Presented by Mark Bly, MGSC President
Professor Suzanne Lenhart (Service Award)
Associate Professor Joan Lind (Teaching Award)
Honors Day 2017
Honors Day 2016
Honors Day 2015
Honors Day 2014
Honors Day 2013
Honors Day 2012
Honors Day 2011
Honors Day 2010
Honors Day 2009
Honors Day 2008