Anne Lester Hudson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anne Lester Hudson is an American mathematician and mathematics educator. Her research specialty is the theory of topological semigroups; she is also known for her skill at mathematical problem-solving, and has coached students to success in both the International Mathematical Olympiad and the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition.[1] She is a professor emeritus at the Georgia Southern University-Armstrong Campus (formerly Armstrong State College).[2]

Education[]

Born as Anne Lester,[3] Hudson is originally from Mississippi,[4] and grew up in Inverness, Mississippi, a town so small that there were only seven students in her high school class.[1] She did her undergraduate studies at Hollins College, with Herta Freitag as a mentor. Unusually for the time, she continued at Hollins for four years, instead of transferring after two years to another university, in order to continue working with Freitag.[1] She graduated in 1953.[3]

In 1961, she earned her Ph.D. in mathematics from Tulane University, where she also met her husband, mathematician Sigmund Hudson.[1] Her dissertation, On the Structure of Certain Classes of Topological Semigroups, was supervised by Paul Stallings Mostert.[5] She became the first woman to earn a doctorate in mathematics at Tulane.[1]

Career[]

After postdoctoral studies funded by the National Science Foundation and NATO,[4] Hudson became a faculty member at Syracuse University, and earned tenure there in 1966 for her research.[6] In 1971 she moved to Armstrong State College in Georgia, "to an environment more heavily involved in undergraduate teaching".[4]

In 1994 Hudson directed the United States Math Olympiad Program, a training program for the U.S. team in the International Mathematical Olympiad.[7] She went to Hong Kong, where the Olympiad was held, as the coach for the team,[1] and led the team to win the Olympiad.[4][1]

Recognition[]

In 1993, when the Mathematical Association of America began giving out its Deborah and Franklin Haimo Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics, Hudson was one of the first winners.[8] The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching named her as one of their 1996 Outstanding Professors of the Year.[9] She was given a special commendation by the Georgia House of Representatives in 1997.[4] Hollins College has also given her their outstanding alumna award.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Strozier, Robert (February 1997), "Anne Hudson—A very special teacher", Math Horizons, 4 (3): 18–21, doi:10.1080/10724117.1996.11975003, JSTOR 25678101
  2. ^ Faculty and Administration, Armstrong State University, retrieved 2018-02-16
  3. ^ a b Anne Lester 1953, Hollins University, retrieved 2018-02-16
  4. ^ a b c d e HR 329: A resolution recognizing and commending Professor Anne Lester Hudson, Georgia House of Representatives, February 20, 1997
  5. ^ Anne Lester Hudson at the Mathematics Genealogy Project
  6. ^ "SU Faculty Members Receive Promotions", Syracuse Post-Standard, June 10, 1966
  7. ^ A Brief History of MOP, Mathematical Association of America, archived from the original on 2012-12-30, retrieved 2018-02-16
  8. ^ Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award, Mathematical Association of America, retrieved 2018-02-16
  9. ^ 1996 Professors of the Year National Winners, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, archived from the original on 2018-02-17, retrieved 2018-02-16
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