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PUEBLO - Colorado State University-Pueblo Mathematics Professor Janet Heine Barnett was awarded the Burton W. Jones Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics by the Rocky Mountain Section of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) in April.

Named in honor of Burton W. Jones, a lifelong advocate of excellence in teaching and a strong supporter of the members and programs of the MAA, this annual award recognizes mathematics teachers who are extraordinarily successful teachers of mathematics at the post-secondary level. Awardees are outstanding teachers who foster excitement about mathematics in their students, and who are widely recognized both within and beyond their own institution.

Barnett was nominated for the award by 海角禁区-Pueblo Mathematics Professor Frank Zizza. In his nomination materials, Zizza remarked that he has "been involved in faculty annual performance reviews and promotion and tenure for the past 15 years at two different universities. Dr. Barnett's teaching evaluations are in the top one percent of my experience. It is simultaneously inspiring and profoundly humbling to read her students' evaluations [of her teaching]."

A native of Pueblo, Barnett joined the mathematics faculty at 海角禁区-Pueblo in 1990. Her scholarly work focuses on the history of mathematics, which she integrates into her teaching through the use of innovative curricular materials based on original source writings by important mathematicians. Throughout her tenure at 海角禁区-Pueblo, she has also sought to improve the quality of mathematics education in the Pueblo region by recruiting, training and mentoring K-12 teachers of mathematics. She currently leads the 海角禁区-Pueblo Noyce Scholars Program, a five year $1.25 million grant from the National Science Foundation which is providing significant scholarships and academic programs for qualified individuals to earn a teaching credential and commit to teaching in high-need K-12 school districts. As part of its Summer Internship Program for prospective teachers, the Noyce Scholars program also offers a free, two-week Summer Math Academy for students in Pueblo County who will be entering grades 7-10.

A former student and graduate of the Noyce Scholars Program, current Pueblo County High School Teacher Zack Koshak described Barnett's knowledge and passion for mathematics in his letter of recommendation for the award as one part of what makes being in her classrooms an amazing experience.

"Her high expectations force all of her students to work their hardest and give their all while in her classroom," Koshak said. "I speak for a number of my classmates, that when you have Dr. Barnett as a professor, you expect to be challenged and will work extremely hard. By the end of the semester, there is no doubt that you have been given the best education possible."

Barnett said that providing students with strong learning support is critical to helping them meet the challenges that she poses for them in her classes. Listening to how each student thinks about mathematics and finding ways to connect to their way of understanding also contributes to her students' posi