This award was established by the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics (JPBM) in 1988 to reward and encourage communicators who, on a sustained basis, bring mathematical ideas and information to nonmathematical audiences. Both mathematicians and non-mathematicians are eligible. Currently, the $1,000 award is made annually. JPBM is a collaborative effort of the American Mathematical Society, the Mathematical Association of America, the American Statistical Association, and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.
List of Recipients
2013
John Allen Paulos
Paulos's books, columns, reviews, speeches, and editorials have for more than 25 years brought mathematically-informed ideas, information, opinion, and humor to a broad non-specialist audience.
2012
Dana Mackenzie
For producing a remarkably broad and
deep body of writing for experts and nonexperts alike.
2011
Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton
For their positive portrayal of the power and fun of mathematics through their hit TV series, Numb3rs.
2010
Marcus du Sautoy
For complementing his love of mathematical discovery with a passion for communicating mathematics to a broad public.
2009
George Csicsery
For communicating the beauty and fascination of mathematics and the passion of those who pursue it.
2008
Carl Bialik
For increasing the public's understanding of mathematical concepts.
2007
Steven H. Strogatz
For making a consistent effort to reach out to a wider audience.
2006
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.
2005
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.
2004
No award was presented for this year.
2003
Robert Osserman
For being an erudite spokesman for mathematics, communicating its charm and excitement to thousands of people from all walks of life.
2002
Helaman 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.
2001
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.
2000
Sylvia Nasar For A Beautiful Mind, her biography of John Forbes Nash, Jr.
1999
Ian Stewart
For communicating the excitement of science and mathematics to millions of people around the world for more than twenty years. Also a "Special Communications Award" 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").
1998
Constance Reid
For writing about mathematics with grace, knowledge, skill, and clarity.
1997
Philip J. Davis For being a prolific communicator of mathematics to the general public.
1996
Gina Kolata For consistently giving outstanding coverage to many of the most exciting breakthroughs in mathematics and computer science over the past twenty years.
1994
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.
1993
Joel Schneider For "Square One TV."
1991
Ivars Peterson For exceptional skill in communicating mathematics to the general public over the last decade.
1990
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.
1988
James Gleick For sustained and outstanding contributions in communicating mathematics to the general public.