Professorship created with an initial bequest of $2,000,000 from Paul and Virginia Halmos.
Paul R. Halmos came to Santa Clara University in 1985 and was a professor here for 15 years. While at Santa Clara, Paul received the Yueh-Gin Gung and Dr. Charles Y. Hu Award for Distinguished Service, the highest award given by the Mathematical Association of America, in 2000. He also was the recipient of the Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics in 1994. While Paul might be best known for his books on Measure Theory, Finite-Dimensional Vector Spaces, Naive Set Theory, while at Santa Clara he wrote I have a Photographic Memory, Introduction to Boolean Algebras, Linear Algebra Problem Book, Logic as Algebra, and I Want to be a Mathematician-An Automathography.
In 2005, Paul and Virginia made an initial bequest of $2,000,000 to create this professorship. An additional contribution was made from their estate in 2015.
The Paul R. and Virginia P. Halmos Professor will have a distinguished record as an expositor and mathematician, mentor and colleague, and a clear commitment to furthering the distinctive mission and quality of the College of Arts and Sciences at Santa Clara University. Preference will be given to a senior mathematics faculty member who integrates creative scholarship with teaching and with other areas of learning and who is collegial and collaborates with students and other faculty as a mentor.
Distinguished alumnus Stephen DeBacker has returned to campus as teacher and mentor.
SCU welcomes Ami Radunskaya of Pomona College for Winter 2022.
SCU Welcomes Carl Pomerance for Winter 2020.
SCU Welcomes Professor Thomas F. Banchoff for Winter 2018.
