Valpo Faculty Member Receives Meritorious Service Award

Rick Gillman, D.A., associate provost for faculty affairs and professor of mathematics and statistics at Valparaiso University, received a 2019 Certificate of Meritorious Service from the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) earlier this month. This award is presented for service at the national level or for service to a section of the association.

“Professor Gillman is an experienced educator and thoughtful administrator, and we are indebted to him for the numerous ways he serves students and his faculty colleagues at Valparaiso University,” said Mark L. Biermann, Ph.D., provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “This achievement is a testament to his commitment to his field and to students’ success, and how he helps them reach their full potential.”

Gillman joined the Valpo mathematics faculty more than 30 years ago and has spent his entire professional career at Valparaiso University. His academic interests include quantitative literacy and mathematical modeling of phenomena seen in the world, particularly using graph theory and game theory.

As associate provost, Gillman participates in the interview process for faculty candidates, oversees the Cambridge Seminar and the orientation program for new faculty and directs the staff who support faculty in professional development and instructional design in the Valparaiso Institute for Teaching and Learning (VITAL).

In addition, Gillman serves the University by supervising staff members who assist faculty in the areas of sponsored research, undergraduate research, the Valpo Core, the University Writing Program and experiential and service learning.

Gillman has held various roles and positions in the MAA committee and governance structure. At the section level, he has been the secretary-treasurer, chair and governor at various times from 1995–2008. Nationally, he has served on the membership committee, as editor of the Problem Book Series, as chair of the committee on sections and as a member of the MAA’s executive committee. Most recently, Gillman has served as the chair of the MAA Committee on Program Review at the association level since 2015, while also serving as the historian for the Indiana section.

The MAA is the world’s largest community of mathematicians, students and enthusiasts. All award winners were announced and recognized during MAA Mathfest in Cincinnati, Ohio.