MSC math department chair claims another award

Dr. Ping-Tung Chang has been awarded the 2003 Distinguished Teaching Award by the UAA Alumni Association, University of Alaska Anchorage. This is but one more honor to add to Dr. Chang's long list of awards, according to a recent release from the university. Chang, professor and math department chairman at the Matanuska-Susitna College Campus, has been awarded the 2001 Alaskan Professor of the Year Award from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Dean Terencio, director of Elmendorf/Fort Richardson AP, the University of Alaska Anchorage, students attending Matanuska-Susitna College and Mat-Su College Math Club members nominated Chang. He is credited with numerous awards including the University of Alaska Teaching Excellence award and the Chancellors Outstanding Faculty Award in 1998. Chang also received the Mathematics Association of America Pacific Northwest Section award for Distinguished Teaching of Mathematics at a university. He received two separate citations from the 21st and 22nd Alaska State Legislature recognizing his accomplishments in teaching mathematics.

Ray Reed of the Math Club announced that former student, Ms. Lilith C. Cooper of Texas, had recently offered to sponsor and fund a "Dr. Ping-Tung Chang Scholarship Fund." The scholarship will be supplemented by matching funds from donations and gathered by the Mat-Su Math Club. This scholarship will be used to offer deserving students a monetary avenue to further their academic careers. The fund will be set up under auspices of the University of Alaska Foundation.

Mat-Su Math Club takes pride in the accomplishments of Chang and wish to offer their grateful appreciation of his timely and caring teaching style and continued award-winning commitment to mathematics education, according to the release.