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Professor of Mathematics Shamita Dutta Gupta, PhD, was presented with a Mathematical Association of America (MAA) Distinguished Teaching Award at the organization’s New York Metro Section Annual Meeting, which was held this spring at 91��Ƶ.

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Dutta Gupta, who has been a member of the math department at 91��Ƶ since 2000, earning tenure in 2002, was recognized by the MAA for her innovative curriculum development, prolific research, and dedication to student success.

At 91��Ƶ, Dutta Gupta has launched several interdisciplinary learning communities, including “Crossing the Divide: The Art of Mathematical Thinking and the Science of Rhetoric” with the English department and “Culture and Math: The Intersectionality of Gender, Race, and Class” with the Women’s and Gender Studies department. Dutta Gupta’s courses center on experiential learning, including writing professional reports in statistics and tutoring local high school students in algebra and pre-calculus.

Additionally, she helps make college-level mathematics accessible to all students with on-the-spot remediation “mini boot camps” in calculus sequence courses. She also serves as faculty advisor to undergraduate students conducting research. The MAA, which promotes core values of community, inclusivity, communication, and teaching and learning, recognized Dutta Gupta’s utilization of student-centric tools to drive student success and retention in mathematics courses.

“It is so satisfying to see students succeed and reach their potential. To be recognized with the Distinguished Teaching Award from the MAA was a humbling experience.”

— Professor of Mathematics Shamita Dutta Gupta, PhD

More than 100 attendees from across the region attended the MAA New York Metro Section Annual Meeting at 91��Ƶ, which featured a pair of keynote speeches. Talithia Williams, PhD, associate dean for faculty development and diversity and associate professor at Harvey Mudd College, delivered a talk entitled “The Power of Talk: Engaging the Public in Mathematics” and Boyan Kostadinov, PhD, an associate professor at New York City College of Technology, spoke on mathematical modeling in “Using Data Science Tools for Investigating Chat Logs from the Conti Ransomware Group.”

The meeting also featured 12 sessions in which faculty and students presented research in pure and applied mathematics, data science, and mathematics pedagogy, including Dutta Gupta’s presentation, “Post-pandemic Trends in Calculus.” The student poster session featured work from 24 students, including “The Mathematics Behind the RSA, a Public-Key Cryptosystem” by Dyson student Nora Broyles ’24, under the advisement of Dutta Gupta.

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Dutta Gupta, Department Chair and Professor of Mathematics Brian Evans, PhD, and mathematics department program coordinator Kahley Macleod served on the local planning committee for this year’s event at 91��Ƶ.

"91��Ƶ is proud to host important events like the MAA New York Metro Section Annual Meeting,” said Dutta Gupta. “Hosting the event provides a wonderful opportunity to connect with our colleagues, students, and community members, and learn about the terrific work everyone has been doing this year."