Paul Sally facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Sally
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Paul Sally in 2008
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| Born |
Paul Joseph Sally, Jr.
January 29, 1933 |
| Died | December 30, 2013 (aged 80) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Boston College (BS, MS) Brandeis University (PhD) |
| Known for | Mathematics education |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of Chicago |
| Doctoral advisor | Ray Kunze |
Paul Joseph Sally, Jr. (born January 29, 1933 – died December 30, 2013) was a well-known professor of mathematics at the University of Chicago. For 30 years, he was in charge of the math programs for college students there. He was famous for his work in advanced math topics and for making math education better for everyone. Many people called him "a legendary math professor."
Early Life and Education
Paul Sally was born in Roslindale, a part of Boston, Massachusetts, on January 29, 1933. When he was in high school at Boston College High School, he was a great basketball player. He earned two degrees from Boston College in 1954 and 1956.
After teaching for a short time, he went to Brandeis in 1957. He was one of the first students in their math graduate program. He earned his PhD degree in 1965. During this time, he got married and had three children.
When Paul Sally was 15, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. This condition later caused him to need an eye patch and two prosthetic legs. Because of this, students and staff at the University of Chicago often called him "Professor Pirate" or "The Math Pirate." He was also known for not liking cell phones in his classroom!
His Work in Mathematics
Professor Sally joined the University of Chicago as a teacher in 1965. He taught there for the rest of his life. He was also a member of the Institute for Advanced Study several times. This is a special place where smart people can focus on research without teaching. While there, he worked with another mathematician named Joseph Shalika.
In 1983, he became the first director of the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project. This project created the Everyday Mathematics program, which is also known as "Chicago math." This program helps teach math in many schools.
He also started other programs to help improve math education. In 1992, he founded Seminars for Elementary Specialists and Mathematics Educators (SESAME). In 1988, he helped start the Young Scholars Program. This program offers extra math learning for talented students in grades 7–12 in the Chicago area.
Awards and Legacy
Paul Sally passed away on December 30, 2013, at the age of 80. He died from congestive heart failure at the University of Chicago Hospital.
Throughout his career, Professor Sally received many important awards for his teaching and contributions to mathematics:
- The Amoco Foundation Award for Long-Term Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in 1995.
- The American Mathematical Society Distinguished Service Award in 2000.
- The Deborah and Franklin Haimo Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics in 2002.
- He became a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society in 2012.
Paul Sally is remembered for being a brilliant mathematician and a dedicated teacher. He helped many students and teachers learn to love math.
