Janis Oldham facts for kids

Janis Marie Oldham (born March 31, 1956 – died July 14, 2021) was an amazing American mathematician. She was an expert in differential geometry, which is a branch of math that studies shapes and spaces using calculus. She also loved teaching math. Janis Oldham was well-known for helping many math students, especially those who might not have had many chances before.

Early Life and Learning

Janis Oldham was an African American woman. She was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on March 31, 1956. She finished high school at North Central High School (Indianapolis) in 1974.

After high school, she went to the University of Chicago. There, she studied mathematics and earned her first degree in 1978. She then continued her studies at Purdue University, getting a master's degree in math in 1980.

Janis Oldham then went to the University of California, Berkeley for her highest degree. She earned her Ph.D. in mathematics in 1990. Her special research was about "connections in fiber bundles." These are complex math ideas used to understand how shapes and spaces connect.

Her Career as a Professor

After finishing her Ph.D., Janis Oldham started teaching math. She worked as an instructor at the University of California, Davis. In 1992, she became a professor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. This is a special university known as a historically-black public university.

She stayed at North Carolina A&T State University for the rest of her career. She became a tenured professor, which means she had a permanent teaching position. She retired shortly before she passed away on July 14, 2021.

Helping Students and Others

Janis Oldham was known as a "passionate math mentor and professor." She really cared about helping students. She was especially interested in helping students from groups that are not often seen in math.

She helped organize events and wrote for newsletters for two important math groups:

• The National Association of Mathematicians: This group focuses on African Americans in mathematics.
• The Mathematical Association of America: This group works on math education for college students.

She was also a leader in the EDGE program. This program helps new math students in graduate school.

Awards and Recognition

Janis Oldham received several awards for her important work:

• In 2005, she won the Etta Z. Falconer Award. This award is given to people who help mentor others and increase diversity in science, especially in math.
• In 1994, she received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Mathematicians.
• In 2019, she won the Stephens–Shabazz Teaching Award from the same association. This award recognized her excellent teaching.