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Browse Prizes and Awards

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Prize: JPBM Communications Award
 
JPBM Communications Award 2024 Natalie Dean

Natalie Dean, Assistant Professor from Emory University, for her remarkable record of public engagement providing clear meaning and context to COVID models and predictions through traditional and social media.

 

Award announcement as seen in the news release.


JPBM Communications Award 2023 Jordan Ellenberg; Grant Sanderson

Jordan Ellenberg, professor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, for his clear and entertaining prose that brings the power and beauty of mathematics to a general audience.

Grant Sanderson, creator of 3Blue1Brown, for his watchable and engaging YouTube channel, with over 4 million subscribers, about discovery and creativity in mathematics.

Award announcement as seen in the news release.


JPBM Communications Award 2022 Talithia Williams

Talithia Williams, an associate professor of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, has won the 2022 Joint Policy Board for Mathematics (JPBM) Communications Award for bringing mathematics and statistics into the homes and hands of millions through her work as a TV host, renowned speaker, and author.

Award announcement as seen in the news release.


JPBM Communications Award 2021 John Bailer; Richard Campbell; Rosemary Pennington; Erica Klarreich

John Bailer, Richard Campbell and Rosemary Pennington receive the 2021 JPBM Communications Award "for their engaging, entertaining, and enlightening Stats + Stories podcast that for over six years has brought 'the statistics behind the stories and the stories behind the statistics' to public radio and a broad podcast audience."

Erica Klarreich receives the 2021 JPBM Communications Award "for her work as a writer and popularizer of mathematics and science. She writes about mathematics and theoretical computer science, and her writing has been chosen for and reprinted in Best Writing on Mathematics in four different years. Her works have appeared in Quanta, The Atlantic, New Scientist, Science News, Wired and other publications for a general audience. Erica Klarreich received a PhD in mathematics in 1997."

Award announcement as seen in the news release.


JPBM Communications Award 2020 Chris Budd; James Tanton

Chris Budd receives the 2020 Joint Policy Board for Mathematics (JPBM) Communications Award "for his passionate popularization of mathematics. Through his positions at Gresham College, the Royal Institution of Great Britain, and the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, his books, and his work with science festivals and schools, he inspires audiences of all ages." James Tanton is also a recipient "for global leadership in high school mathematics instruction. Through his "G'Day Math!" online courses, MAA Curriculum Inspirations, numerous textbooks, and the Global Math Project, he is inspiring millions to learn, and teach, math in wonderful new ways."

Award announcement as seen in the news release.


JPBM Communications Award 2019 Margot Lee Shetterly

The 2019 Joint Policy Board for Mathematics (JPBM) Communications Award was presented to Margot Lee Shetterly for her book and subsequent movie "Hidden Figures," which opened science and mathematics to a new generation of women and people of color by bringing into the light the stories of the African-American women who made significant contributions to aeronautics and astronautics, and, ultimately, to America's victory in the space race. Shetterly received the award at the Joint Mathematics Meetings (JMM) in Baltimore, Maryland, on Saturday, January 19 at 11:00 a.m. in the Baltimore Convention Center Hall Room 309/310, followed by an hour onstage interview and opportunity to meet her. The public was invited to the presentation and event, which was a highlight of the full day of free Mathemati-Con sessions and events sponsored by JMM, the largest mathematics meeting in the world.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS and in the news release.


JPBM Communications Award 2018 Vi Hart; Matt Parker

Twenty-seventh award: To Vi Hart for entertaining, thought-provoking mathematics and music videos on YouTube that explain mathematical concepts through doodles. And to Matt Parker for communicating the excitement of mathematics to a worldwide audience through YouTube videos, TV and radio appearances, book and newspaper writings, and stand-up comedy.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS and in the news release.


JPBM Communications Award 2017 Siobhan Roberts; Arthur T Benjamin

Twenty-sixth award: The Award for Expository and Popular Books to Siobhan Roberts for for her engaging biographies of eminent mathematicians and articles about mathematics that are appreciated by the general public and scientific audiences alike and the Award for Public Outreach to Arthur Benjamin for his ability and commitment to share the joy of mathematics, and excites and engages audiences at all levels.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 2016 Simon Singh; Museum of Mathematics

Twenty-fifth award: The Award for Expository and Popular Books to Simon Singh for his numerous books and productions which bring mathematics vividly to life and the Award for Public Outreach to the Museum of Mathematics for enhancing public understanding and perception of mathematics through dynamic exhibits and programs.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 2014 Danica McKellar

Twenty-third award: to Danica McKellar because her books, blog, and public appearances have encouraged countless middle and high school students, especially girls, to be more interested in mathematics.


JPBM Communications Award 2013 John Allen Paulos

Twenty-second award: to John Allen Paulos "because his books, columns, reviews, speeches, and editorials have for more than twenty-five years brought mathematically informed ideas, information, opinion, and humor to a broad nonspecialist audience."


JPBM Communications Award 2012 Dana Mackenzie

Twenty-first award: to Dana Mackenzie for a remarkably broad and deep body of writing for experts and nonexperts alike.


JPBM Communications Award 2011 Nicolas Falacci; Cheryl Heuton

Twentieth award: to Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton for their positive portrayal of the power and fun of mathematics through their hit TV series, Numb3rs.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 2010 Marcus du Sautoy

Nineteenth award: to Marcus du Sautoy for complementing his love of mathematical discovery with a passion for communicating mathematics to a broad public.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 2009 George Csicsery

Eighteenth award: to George Csicsery for communicating the beauty and fascination of mathematics and the passion of those who pursue it.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 2008 Carl Bialik

Seventeenth award: to Carl Bialik for increasing the public's understanding of mathematical concepts.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 2007 Steven H. Strogatz

Sixteenth award: to Steven H. Strogatz for making a consistent effort to reach out to a wider audience.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 2006 Roger Penrose

Fifteenth award: to Roger Penrose for the discovery of Penrose tilings, which have captured the public's imagination, and for an extraordinary series of books that brought the subject of consciousness to the public in mathematical terms.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 2005 Barry Cipra

Fourteenth award: to Barry Cipra for writing about mathematics of every kind-from the most abstract to the most applied-for nearly twenty years. His lucid explanations of complicated ideas at the frontiers of research have appeared in dozens of articles in newspapers, magazines, and books.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 2004 no award given


JPBM Communications Award 2003 Robert Osserman

Thirteenth award: to Robert Osserman for being an erudite spokesman for mathematics, communicating its charm and excitement to thousands of people from all walks of life.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 2002 Helaman Ferguson; Claire Ferguson

Twelfth award: to Helaman Ferguson and Claire Ferguson for dazzling the mathematical community and a far wider public with exquisite sculptures embodying mathematical ideas, along with artful and accessible essays and lectures elucidating the mathematical concepts.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 2001 Keith J. Devlin

Eleventh award: to Keith J. Devlin for his many contributions to public understanding of mathematics through great numbers of radio and television appearances; public talks; books; and articles in magazines, newsletters, newspapers, journals, and online.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 2000 Sylvia Nasar

Tenth award: to Sylvia Nasar for A Beautiful Mind, her biography of John Forbes Nash, Jr.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 1999 Ian Stewart

Ninth award: to Ian Stewart for communicating the excitement of science and mathematics to millions of people around the world for more than twenty years and to John Lynch and Simon Singh for their exceptional contributions to public understanding of mathematics through their documentary on Andrew Wiles and the Fermat Conjecture, entitled "Fermat's Last Theorem" (shown on NOVA as "The Proof").

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 1998 Constance Reid

Eighth award: to Constance Reid for writing about mathematics with grace, knowledge, skill and clarity.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 1997 Philip J. Davis

Seventh award: to Philip J. Davis for being a prolific communicator of mathematics to the general public.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 1996 Gina Kolata

Sixth award: to Gina Kolata for consistently giving outstanding coverage to many of the most exciting breakthroughs in mathematics and computer science over the past twenty years.

Award announcement as seen in Notices of the AMS.


JPBM Communications Award 1994 Martin Gardner

Fifth award: to Martin Gardner, for authoring numerous books and articles about mathematics, including his long-running Scientific American column, "Mathematical Games," and his books, Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science and Mathematical Carnival.


JPBM Communications Award 1993 Joel Schneider

Fourth award: to Joel Schneider for "Square One TV."


JPBM Communications Award 1991 Ivars Peterson

Third award: to Ivars Peterson for exceptional skill in communicating mathematics to the general public over the last decade.


JPBM Communications Award 1990 Hugh Whitemore

Second award: to Hugh Whitemore for contributions to communicating mathematics to the public in his play, "Breaking the Code," which chronicles the brilliant but troubled life of the British mathematician Alan Turing.


JPBM Communications Award 1988 James Gleick

First award: to James Gleick for sustained and outstanding contributions in communicating mathematics to the general public.