Robert Smith Presented with MacDuffee Award for Distinguished Service

December 4, 2009

Dr. Robert Smith was awarded the C.C. MacDuffee Award for Distinguished Service to the Pi Mu Epsilon Honor Society at the 2009 MathFest meeting in Portland, Oregon (Aug. 6-8).

The C.C. MacDuffee Award recognizes those who have notably contributed to the society and its student members.

The award was created in 1966 to honor the profound commitment and service that Professor C.C. MacDuffee offered to society. The first recipient was J. Sutherland Framer and there have been only 12 others. According to Pi Mu Epsilon, the award is not given annually but rather, "often enough to be recognized and seldom enough to be meaningful."

Smith became a member of the honor society in 1964 while a graduate student at Penn State University. In 1989 he became chapter advisor at Miami University of Ohio. He has remained active in the society ever since, working with students and planning local, regional, and national PME meetings and conferences.

In 1992, he became a National Councilor and in 1999 began the 9-year duties of president elect, president, and past president.

Source: Pi Mu Epsilon, November 2009.