Awards, Fellowships, Scholarships and Honours

• While I've been at Memorial University of Newfoundland:
  • University Research Professor (2018)

    In June 2018 I was awarded the honour and title of University Research Professor. It is the most prestigious award the university gives for research and/or creative activity and goes to faculty members who have demonstrated a consistently high level of scholarship in their field, including graduate student supervision and other mentoring activities, and whose research and/or creative activity is of a truly international stature. The award carries with it a lifetime designation, an unrestricted research grant of $4,000 each year for five years, and a reduced teaching schedule.

  • Hall Medal of the Institute of Combinatorics and its Applications (2007)

    The Hall Medal, named after the late Marshall Hall, Jr., is given for extensive quality research by a member of the ICA who is in mid-career, which is defined to mean not having passed the age of forty in the year for which the medal is awarded. A maximum of three such medals are awarded per year; nominations for the award are made by fellow ICA members and are evaluated by the ICA Council.

  • Motivational Teaching Award (2004)

    The students in Mathematics and Statistics annually nominate and select a member of the departmental faculty for this award. I was its recipient in 2004.

• While I was at East Central University:
  • Project NExT Fellow (1997-1998)

    Project NExT (New Experiences in Teaching) is a professional development programme for faculty who are just beginning their university careers. In addition to networking via email, Fellows participate and organise workshops held in conjuction with MAA meetings (in Atlanta, Baltimore, and Toronto for the 1997-1998 Fellows). These workshops emphasise issues related to teaching Mathematics at the university level, such as different teaching styles and strategies, the impact of technology and reform movements, as well as other issues faced by junior faculty.

    I was one of approximately 70 Fellows who were selected in the competition for the 1997-1998 academic year. Project NExT is sponsored by the MAA and the Exxon Educational Foundation.

• While I was at Auburn University:
  • Top Ten Outstanding Doctoral Students at Auburn University (1995-1996)

    Only ten doctoral students each year receive this honour. To be considered, each candidate must be nominated by his/her doctoral committee.

  • NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship (1994-1996)

    This scholarship, awarded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, was valued at $17,400 (Canadian) for each of 2 years. NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships are highly competitive, given that candiates from all across Canada and in all fields of science, engineering, and mathematics compete for the same funds. Scholarships granted for study outside of Canada are even more lucrative because NSERC makes only a small proportion of the scholarships tenable at non-Canadian universities.

  • Baskervill Memorial Fellowship (1993-1994) (value: $3,600 US)
  • Phi Kappa Phi Honourary Society, Auburn University Chapter (1994)
  • Alpha Epsilon Lambda Honourary Society, Auburn University Chapter (1994)

• While I was at the University of Waterloo:
  • René Descartes Fellowship (1987-1989)