Indiana Section of the Mathematical Association of America
Distinguished Service Award

Citation to

Stephan C. Carlson

The Indiana Section Distinguished Service Award was initiated in 1993 to honor a member of the Section by acknowledging his or her extraordinary contributions to the Section and outstanding efforts consistent with the stated purposes of the Mathematical Association of America and the Section, namely, assisting in promoting the interests of, and improving education in, the mathematical sciences in America, especially at the collegiate level.

This year's recipient began to have an impact on the Indiana Section almost as soon as he moved into the section in 1989.  Within two years, he had been elected as Secretary-Treasurer of the section and while holding this office was a key organizer of the now infamous Tri-section meeting of 1993.

Steve Carlson, who we honor tonight as the tenth winner of our Distinguished Service Award, has also served the Section as Chair and is our current Governor.  With this service, Steve has devoted over ten years to helping lead our section.  During that time, he has also served on the MAA's committee on sections and has been instrumental in helping that group become more proactive and responsive to section needs.  No one is more committed to the section organization of the MAA than he is.

Steve specializes in topology, and his recent book "Topology of Surfaces, Knots, and Manifolds: A First Undergraduate Course" clearly demonstrates his love for the subject and his ability to write with our undergraduates in mind.  This reader friendly and intuitive look at topology draws attention to Steve's concern for his students.

Congratulations to Steve Carlson -- our colleague and friend and the recipient of the 2002 Distinguished Service Award.
 

Krystina Leganza, Chair
Indiana Section of the Mathematical Association of America
March 22, 2002