Brock University’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics names its Learning Centre after Professor Emeritus Eric R. Muller
On October 3, 2024 the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Brock University engraved Professor Emeritus Eric Muller’s name into posterity by naming its student learning space the Eric Muller Mathematics and Statistics Learning Centre. The honour pays homage to Eric’s outstanding career’s contributions not only to mathematics teaching and learning at Brock University, including the development of concurrent education programs, but also to his tireless and most distinguished service to the broader mathematics community—as deservedly recognized notably by the 1996 MAA (Seaway Section) Award for Distinguished University Teaching of Mathematics, the 1999 CMS Adrien Pouliot Award for Sustained and Outstanding Contributions to Mathematics Education, the 2002 Fields Institute Fellow appointment, and the 2002 NSERC Michael Smith Award for Science Promotion.
Eric joined Brock University in 1967, after having completed a PhD in Theoretical Physics at the University of Sheffield (England). At that time, Brock University was barely three years old, enrolling about seven hundred students across eleven departments. Over a thirty-seven-year career, Eric left his mark as an institutional builder, a mentor to generations of colleagues, and an inspiring educator. He played a significant leadership role for the development and the delivery of undergraduate mathematics courses across faculties. These courses include large service courses such as Calculus with Applications and Practical Statistics annually serving some 3,000 students from all faculties. A determined enabler of the meaningful integration of digital technology in mathematics education, Eric played a leading role (together with Prof. Bill Ralph) in the department’s development of an innovative program, launched in 2000, known as the Mathematics Integrated with Computers and Applications (MICA)[1],[2] program. While at Brock, Eric brought people together and radiated wisdom and benevolence.
The impact of Eric’s contributions went well beyond the walls of Brock University. He was the instigator of the conception and development of two math trails, proposing pupils and students a visit, with a mathematical eye, of the Welland Canal and of the Niagara Falls. He was also the instigator of a mathematics and visual arts celebration, when the National Gallery of Canada’s exhibition of works by M.C. Escher came to St. Catharines (home city of Brock) in 1997. Throughout his career, he engaged wholeheartedly with local mathematics teachers (from all levels) in order to provide them with sustained opportunities for professional development, at times when there were virtually none. His commitment to support school mathematics teachers actually led him to develop a new concurrent education program at Brock in which students could acquire discipline knowledge and teaching skills in tandem.
True to his commitment to mathematics education across Canada, Eric was a long-time member and contributor to the activities of the Canadian Mathematical Society. He served as Chair of the CMS Education Committee from 1992 to 1997, and was notably the coordinator of the activities in Canada connected with the World Mathematical Year 2000, launched by the International Mathematical Union and held under the auspices of UNESCO. He played a crucial role in the local organization of the 1992 International Congress on Mathematical Education (ICME-7) at the Université Laval, serving as a member of the Canadian National Committee in charge of ICME-7, a member of its Executive Committee, as well as a member of the International Program Committee. He was also intensively active daily during this congress in bringing to the Local Organizing Committee a specific and crucial support of “troubleshooter”.
He belongs to the early cohort of mathematicians regularly involved in the activities of the Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group (CMESG), launched in 1977. Besides serving for three terms on the CMESG Executive, including five years as the coordinator of the annual conference program, he was involved numerous times as a presenter or working group organizer at these annual conferences. On the North American scene, he was also engaged in various activities of the Mathematical Association of America, including a three-year term on the MAA Board of Governors.
Around the same time and because of his many connections and activities with local, provincial, national, and international associations involved in mathematics education, Eric was invited by the Fields Institute to develop (with Bradd Hart) a group that would focus on mathematics education and resulted in the Fields MathEd Forum, meeting one Saturday a month during each academic year since 1997. Eric stresses how his regular participation and contributions to national and international mathematics education congresses (CMESG, MAA and ICME) have greatly influenced the way he has developed as a mathematics educator.
of the Math Learning Center (October 3, 2024, courtesy of Monique Muller)
The Eric Muller Mathematics and Statistics Learning Centre saw the light of day as the Mathematics Help Centre in early 2004, with conception period starting in August of 2003. The year 2003-04 was Eric’s last year as a regular faculty member at Brock University. The Centre owes much to Eric. Not only because of his direct involvement in its creation, but also in connection with Eric’s life-long passion and dedication to supporting students’ success, to making Mathematics more accessible, and to promoting more effective mathematics teaching and learning for students of all ages.
The renaming of the centre after Eric is a tangible, permanent mark of departmental reverence to his contributions. Eric stands as an exceptional example of a mathematician belonging to a math department, a mathematician seriously and sincerely interested in matters pertaining to the teaching and learning of mathematics, skillfully and passionately devoting time and energy to this endeavour. Truly, it is selfless contributions of leaders like Eric that have a marked impact on the lives of scores of students and that build and grow lasting institutions.
Articles about Eric’s contributions to various associations include: the ICMI Newsletter, the Fields Institute Events (Newsletter), the MAA Seaway Current and the CMESG Newsletter. For more details about Eric’s contributions that led to this outstanding honour, see here.
[1] Ben-El-Mechaiekh, H., Buteau, C., & Ralph, W. (2007). MICA: a novel direction in undergraduate mathematics teaching. Canadian Mathematics Society Notes, 39(6), 9–11.
