M. Chen Geometry Award

M. Chen Geometry Award

Dr. Mou Ta Chen and Dr. Kathleen Chen established the M. Chen Geometry Award to recognize an outstanding student in the undergraduate mathematics major at The College at Brockport who has successfully completed the geometry portion of the program curriculum.

Dr. Mou Ta Chen joined the Brockport faculty in 1960 and served as a professor of mathematics until his retirement in 2000. A native of Sichuan, China, he graduated from Chongqing University and held several government positions in China before coming to the United States. He earned his graduate degrees from the University of Wyoming and New York University.

Known for his cheerful disposition and positive outlook on life, Dr. Chen took a student-centered approach to teaching. He enjoyed Chinese poetry, classical music, history, Tai Chi, and Qigong. He passed away in 2012.

Dr. Kathleen Chen, his wife, was a professor of psychology at Rochester Institute of Technology, where she headed the department for 17 years. A native of Myanmar, she completed her undergraduate degree at the Rangoon University, earned her master’s degree from Bryn Mawr College, and received her PhD from Pennsylvania State University. After her retirement, she studied violin at the University of South Carolina School of Music. She passed away in 2015.

Applicants for the M. Chen Geometry Award must have at least four semesters of academic coursework remaining, must have a GPA of 3.0 or better, must demonstrate a commitment to a career in mathematics, and must have completed MTH 339 or its equivalent.