WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., April 1, 2010 -- Susan R. Loepp, professor of mathematics at Williams College, has been awarded a regional teaching award from the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).  The Northeastern Section Teaching Award is given out every year to an “extraordinarily successful” professor who gets students excited about math.

At Williams since 1996, Loepp teaches Applied Abstract Algebra, Algebraic Error-Correcting Codes, and Galois Theory and Modules. She is an authority on commutative algebra.  Her research has appeared in the Journal of Algebra and the Journal of Pure and Applied Algebra, among others.

In 2000, she and physics professor Bill Wootters received a grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a course on using abstract algebra and quantum physics to protect information. They are the authors of the subsequent textbook "Protecting Information: From Classical Error Correction to Quantum Cryptography."

Teaching awards are not new to Loepp. At Williams, she received the 2001 Faculty of the Year Award, which is presented by the student body. When she was in graduate school, she was recognized four times for excellence in teaching. She is a contender for the MAA’s national Haimo Award.

Loepp received her B.A. and B.S. from Bethel College in Kansas, and her Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin. She received the 2007 Young Alumnus Award from Bethel. Before coming to Williams, she taught at the University of Nebraska.

Three other Williams professors—Frank Morgan, Colin Adams, and Ed Burger—have won previous Northeastern Section Teaching Awards.

The MAA is the largest professional society that focuses on undergraduate mathematics education. Its mission is to advance the mathematical sciences, especially at the collegiate level. The MAA's Northeastern Section includes the six New England states and four Canadian provinces.

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Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college’s 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students' educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions are made regardless of a student’s financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted.

To visit the college on the Internet: http:/ www.williams.edu/ Williams College can also be found on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/williamscollege and Twitter: http://twitter.com/williamscollege

News: Alison Hansen-Decelles