Jacqueline Jensen-Vallin facts for kids
Jacqueline Ann Jensen-Vallin is an American mathematician. She is a professor and leads the math department at Lamar University. She used to be in charge of MAA FOCUS, which is a newsletter for math lovers. She also helped lead the Texas group of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).
She studies interesting math topics like knot theory. This is a field of math that looks at how knots are formed and behave. She also works on how to teach math better. And she researches the history of women in mathematics.
Learning and Working
Jacqueline Jensen-Vallin studied at the University of Connecticut. She earned two degrees there in 1995. She studied both mathematics and psychology.
Then, she went to the University of Oregon for more advanced studies. She earned her doctorate degree in 2002. A doctorate is the highest degree you can get at a university. Her special project, called a dissertation, was about a complex math topic. It was supervised by Micheal Dyer.
After finishing her doctorate, she started teaching. She joined Sam Houston State University in 2002. Later, in 2014, she moved to Lamar University.
About Her Book
Jacqueline Jensen-Vallin helped edit a book. The book is called Women in Mathematics: Celebrating the Centennial of the Mathematical Association of America. It was published in 2017. She worked on this book with Janet Beery, Sarah J. Greenwald, and Maura B. Mast. This book celebrates the achievements of women in math.
Awards and Special Honors
Jacqueline Jensen-Vallin has received several awards for her work.
In 2008, she won the Henry L. Alder Award. This award is given to new college math teachers. It recognizes excellent teaching.
The Association for Women in Mathematics also honored her. They gave her their Service Award in 2018. This award celebrates people who have done a lot to help the field of mathematics.
