Assistant Professor Anne Duffee Earns Mathematical Association of America Distinguished Teaching Award
The Southeastern Section of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA-SE) has announced the selection of Assistant Professor of Mathematics Anne Duffee for the organization’s Distinguished Teaching Award. The largest section of the MAA, the Southeastern Section represents mathematicians from Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Upon presenting Duffee with the award, the MAA-SE stated, “Dr. Duffee approaches teaching holistically, incorporating interdisciplinary perspectives and creating a classroom where curiosity thrives and barriers to learning are removed. Her teaching style is characterized by humility, wisdom, and unwavering support.”
Duffee’s colleagues in the Mathematics and Computer Science Department similarly expressed enthusiasm for her commitment to fostering resilience and persistence among her students. “Anne rejoices in seeing her students learn, and they sense it and are motivated by it,” noted Professor of Mathematics Emily Puckette. One of Duffee’s students shared, “[Her class] was the most difficult class I had this semester in terms of content, but it was also the most enjoyable, which I largely attribute to the excellence of Profesor Duffee’s pedagogy.”
A professor in the College since 2016, Duffee teaches a variety of courses including History of Mathematics and a geometry-centered version of Topics in Mathematics. She pursues questions from a variety of fields, especially those in the fields of analysis and topology, and she has a developed growing interest in the philosophy of mathematics. Duffee also enjoys teaching upper level courses in the field of analysis, often including historical material to provide a human connection with the mathematical abstractions.
The MAA-SE advances the mathematical sciences within the region by considering mathematical professionals at all levels in the design of its program and activities, with a special emphasis on the collegiate level. The MAA-SE Section recognizes outstanding faculty members each year at its annual section meeting with awards for excellence in teaching and service, and the Distinguished Teaching Award is its top honor.
