Michael Karls

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.

The winner of the 2007 Indiana Section Distinguished Service Award is known for his tireless dedication to the mathematics community. On his home campus, where he has served as the Director of Undergraduate Programs in his Department, both students and faculty have benefited from his enthusiasm for mathematics and his guidance in program development, no easy task when those programs include actuarial science, mathematics education, theoretical mathematics, and statistics. He is attentive to the needs of students at many levels, from non-major entering students who need special help to students working on honors theses.

The Indiana Section has benefited greatly from his generous service. For six years he was the Section's Newsletter Editor, back when that involved printing and mailing hard copies as well as gathering the news and developing the newsletter. In 2002, we elected him as Vice Chair of the Section. In accordance with our custom, he became Chair the following year and then served a third year on the Executive Board as Past Chair. He currently holds a three year appointment to the National MAA Committee on Sections.

With thanks to our award winner for his passion for mathematics and his dedicated service, we enthusiastically present the 2007 Indiana Section Distinguished Service Award to Michael Karls of Ball State University .

Jeremy Case, Chair
Indiana Section of the Mathematical Association of America
March 23, 2007