Maura Mast facts for kids

Maura B. Mast is an Irish-American mathematician and a teacher. She helps students learn about math and how to use numbers in everyday life. She also works as an important leader at a university.

With Ethan D. Bolker, she wrote a textbook called Common Sense Mathematics. Currently, Maura Mast is the dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill, which is part of Fordham University.

Her Early Life and Education

Maura Mast's father, Cecil B. Mast, was also a mathematics professor. He taught at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Maura grew up in South Bend. Her mother was Irish, so Maura has citizenship in both Ireland and America.

She studied at the University of Notre Dame for her first degree. She studied two subjects: mathematics and anthropology. In 1992, she earned her highest degree in mathematics, called a doctorate. She got this degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research was about how curved surfaces behave in math.

Her Career Journey

Maura Mast began her teaching career in 1992 at the University of Northern Iowa. After teaching at other colleges like Northeastern University and Wellesley College, she moved to the University of Massachusetts Boston in 1998.

At the University of Massachusetts Boston, she became a leader in undergraduate studies in 2009. In 2015, she joined Fordham University. She made history there by becoming the first female dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill. In 2022, she was promoted to a full professor at Fordham University.

Supporting Others in Math

Maura Mast has been an active member of the Clavius Group. This group includes mathematicians who support the values of the Jesuit order. She is a strong supporter of the Jesuit way of thinking about Catholic spirituality.

She also cares deeply about helping women succeed in math and science. She believes this is "crucial for the future of the country and for women." She has helped lead the Association for Women in Mathematics. She also chaired a special group that focused on how people use numbers in daily life.

Books She Has Written

• Common Sense Mathematics (with Ethan D. Bolker, 2016)
• Women in Mathematics: Celebrating the Centennial of the Mathematical Association of America (edited with Janet Beery, Sarah J. Greenwald, and Jacqueline Jensen-Vallin, 2017)

Awards and Recognition

In 2017, Maura Mast received an award from the Association for Women in Mathematics for her service. The Association for Women in Mathematics also named her an AWM Fellow in 2020. This award recognized her important work in encouraging women to join and succeed in mathematical fields. She was honored for her leadership in various academic groups.