UMD News Releases

UMD Department of Computer Science, Associate Professor, Douglas Dunham has been awarded the Trevor Evans Award from the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). Established in 1992, the Trevor Evans Awards, consisting of a citation and cash prize, are presented by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) to authors of exceptional articles that are accessible to undergraduates and published in Math Horizons. Dunham is one of two mathematicians to receive the distinguished writing award this year.

Douglas Dunham receives this prestigious award in recognition for his article, "A Tale Both Shocking and Hyperbolic," Math Horizons, April, 2003, page 22. As noted in the citation,

"This delightful paper describes artist M.C. Escher's shock in reading a paper by Coxeter. Geometer Coxeter had indeed solved a problem that had been plaguing Escher for years: how to create a repeating pattern within a limited circle. Later the author of this paper was shocked to see an Escher sketch which mapped out Escher's famous Circle Limit III- using the very method that the author had used in creating his computer generated rendition of that work."

This colorful paper takes us through an introduction to hyperbolic geometry and provides many good references for further study of the subject.

Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) is one of the world's most famous graphic design artists who is noted for creating unique and fascinating works of art that explore and exhibit a wide range of mathematical ideas.

Hugh McCague, York University, Toronto Canada, also received an award for his article, "A Mathematical Look at a Medieval Cathedral."

The awards will be presented on August 13, 2004 at the Summer MathFest in Providence, Rhode Island.

The Mathematical Association of America is the world's largest organization devoted to collegiate mathematics education. The nearly 27,000 members of the MAA participate in a variety of activities that foster mathematics education, professional development, student involvement, and public policy. MAA's national focus is complemented by its 29 regional sections- together functioning as an extensive network for the mathematics community.