Bio
Francis Su is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, and former president of the Mathematical Association of America. He received his B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin and his Ph.D. from Harvard University. His research is in topological and geometric combinatorics and applications to the sciences, including game theory, voting theory, and the mathematics of fair decisions. He has co-authored numerous papers with undergraduates. He also has a passion for teaching and popularizing mathematics through writing and public engagement. His work has been featured in Quanta Magazine, Wired, and the New York Times.
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From the Mathematical Association of America, he received the 2018 Halmos-Ford award for mathematical writing, and the 2013 Haimo Award for distinguished teaching of college-level mathematics. Three of his articles have been featured in Princeton Press' Best Writing on Mathematics in 2011, 2014, and 2018. He authors the popular Math Fun Facts website and is creator of “MathFeed,” the math news app. His book Mathematics for Human Flourishing, published by Yale University Press, won the 2021 Euler Book Prize. It offers an inclusive vision of what math is, who it’s for, and why anyone should learn it.
on a personal note
It feels funny to have a website touting things I've done. On one hand I love to share my work with others. On the other hand, I want to press back on the achievement-oriented culture we live in. I don't believe my accomplishments give me dignity, though I understand society uses them to establish credibility. My family and best friends could care less about my resumé, and they love me with all my faults. This grace centers me, and it's a reflection of a divine love that grounds human dignity in a source distinct from anything we do. This love also calls to me to defend the dignity of others, which I strive to do through my teaching and my writing.
