Mathematics financial aid and awards

This award goes to a graduate student in the Department of Mathematics who has demonstrated potential for excellence in research at the PhD level and has achieved the highest cumulative grade point average on all coursework completed in the graduate program. For a MSc student, the student has to be accepted into the Ph.D. program in the following academic year. The winner must have been in the program no fewer than nine months by May 31 of the year that the award is offered.

Past winners:

• 2017: Jane Breen
• 2016: Mohammad Shirazi
• 2015: Andrii Arman
• 2014: Sergei Tsaturian
• 2013: Xiangui Zhao
• 2011: Miad Makareh Shireh
• 2011: Varvara Shepelska
• 2010, 2009: Mohammad Safi
• 2008: Marina Kotovshchikova
• 2007: Karen Johansson
• 2005: Raza Koushesh, Ebrahim Samei
• 2004: Senlin Guo, Raza Khoushesh
• 2003: Ebrahim Samei

This award goes to a graduate student who

• is commencing study as a full-time student in the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Manitoba in the MSc or PhD program in the Department of Mathematics;
• has achieved a minimum CGPA of 3.5 in the last 60 credit hours completed in their undergraduate program (if a MSc student) or a minimum CGPA of 3.75 in their MSc program (if a PhD student); or as a continuing student, is in good standing in their current program of study. Preference will be given to students pursuing study in the area of pure mathematics.

Past winners:

• 2017: Avleen Kaur
• 2016: Sooyeong Kim
• 2015: Osu Ighorodhe
• 2014: Xiaohong Zhang
• 2013: Xiangui Zhao
• 2012: Ivan Livinsky, Danylo Radchenko
• 2011: Oleksiy Klurman, Kateryna Melnykova
• 2010: Miad Makareh Shireh
• 2009, 2008: Oleksandr Maizlish
• 2007: Filofteia Gheorghe
• 2006: Adam Gareau

This award goes to a graduate student who

• has completed a BSc degree at the University of Manitoba with a minimum degree grade point average of 3.5;
• is in the third and fourth year of their undergraduate program, has completed at least 24 credit hours of mathematics course, with a minimum average of 3.5;
• is enrolled full-time in the Faculty of Graduate Studies in the first year of either the MSc in Mathematics or the PhD in Mathematics.

If no candidate meets the requirements, then the scholarship will be offered to a graduate student who has achieved a minimum GPA of 3.5 based on the last 60 credit hours of study.

Past winners:

• 2017: Syeda Atika Batool Naqvi
• 2016: Adriana Ciupeanu
• 2015: Colin Desmarais
• 2014: Serhii Dovhyi
• 2013: Ievgen Bilokopytov
• 2012: Oleksiy Klurman
• 2010: Morgan Craig

The family and friends of Karen Craigen (1957 – 2010) have established an endowment in her memory at the University of Manitoba, to establish the Karen Craigen Memorial Scholarship for students who declare their intention intend to teach classroom mathematics in grades K – 12, and whose mathematical education significantly exceeds the minimum requirements of a mathematics concentration in the Bachelor of Education program.

Karen’s career teaching math exemplified a love of the subject as well as a devotion to her students. Karen received a 5 year degree in education with Major in Math, attaining the equivalent of 3 years of an honours BSc in Math. She believed in the value of a strong mathematical background for those who teach math.

The purpose of the scholarship is to offer incentive to students to go beyond the basic standard of preparation for a career in mathematics education and to encourage and reward students who have demonstrated this initiative. Each year one scholarship will be awarded to a student who:

1. is currently enrolled in any of the following:
   1. full-time in the Faculty of Graduate Studies in a Master’s program offered by the Department of Mathematics in the Faculty of Science;
   2. full-time (minimum 80% course load) as an undergraduate student in the Faculty of Science at the University of Manitoba;
   3. full-time (minimum 80% course load) as an undergraduate student in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Manitoba;
   4. full-time (minimum 80% course load) as an undergraduate student in the Faculty of Education;
2. has completed three years of an undergraduate honours or major degree in Mathematics (or equivalent);
3. has achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.5 (or equivalent) in the previous 60 credit hours of study, in which 42 credit hours must be in Mathematics courses taken from the Faculty of Science;
4. has expressed the intention to teach classroom mathematics.

Interested candidates should submit a letter directly to the Mathematics Department stating their intention to teach classroom mathematics and why they would like to pursue a career in mathematics education (maximum 250 words), along with a copy of their transcript(s) by the end of September for consideration in the current year.

Donations to the fund are tax-deductible. Gifts may be made in the form of a cheque payable to the University of Manitoba, and mailed to:

Development & Advancement Services
79 Freedman Cres.
Winnipeg, MB R3T 9Z9

This award goes to the third-year Honours Mathematics student with the highest standing. Dr. Dobbs was born in Winnipeg and attended St. John’s (technical) High School. For his B.A., he completed honours programs in mathematics, philosophy and statistics at the University of Manitoba. He obtained his M.A. also at the University of Manitoba and his Ph.D. at Cornell University. After a postdoctoral year at UCLA, he moved to Rutgers and then the University of Tennessee, where he has been a full Professor since 1980. His main area of research is algebra.

Past Dr. David E. Dobbs award winners:

• 2022: James Young
• 2021: Not awarded
• 2020: Max Gutkin
• 2019: Tessa Reimer
• 2018: Mary Elaine Herrera
• 2017: Jeremy Friesen
• 2016: Ryan Sherbo
• 2015: Shaun McDonald
• 2014: Suraj Srinivasan
• 2013: Kaitlin Alexander
• 2012: Jason Lippuner
• 2011: Brett Kolesnik
• 2010: Damjan Kalajdzievski
• 2009: Athena Nguyen
• 2007, 2006: Adam Bookatz
• 2005: Evan Haldane

The Department of Mathematics in the Faculty of has established an annually funded scholarship supported by the proceeds from the sale of student study booklets. The purpose of the scholarship is to recruit the top graduating high school students to pursue an Honours degree program in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Manitoba.

One or more scholarships valued at $2500 each will be offered to undergraduate students who:

• have met the Direct Entry admission requirements for the Faculty of Science at the University of Manitoba;
• are enrolled full-time in a Bachelor of Science degree program;
• have achieved a top 5 result in the province in one or more of the following math contests (in decreasing order of priority): Canadian Mathematical Olympiad or another national Olympiad, Canadian Open Mathematics Challenge, Hypatia, Galois, Fryer, Manitoba Math Contest, Canadian Senior and Intermediate Math contests, Euclid, Pascal, Cayley and Fermat.

The scholarships are renewable in the second year of study, provided that the recipients:

1. enroll full-time in the Bachelor of Science Honours degree program in the Department of Mathematics in the next ensuing academic session;
2. have achieved a minimum degree grade point average of 3.5;
3. have completed the following courses offered by the Department of Mathematics: MATH 1220 Linear Algebra, MATH 1230 Calculus 1, MATH 1232 Calculus 2, and MATH 1240 Elements of Discrete Mathematics;
4. have achieved a minimum sessional grade point average of 3.75 in the courses listed in criterion (3) above in the previous academic session.

The value of the renewable scholarship will be determined based on the recipient’s sessional grade point average in the following manner:

• GPA 3.75-3.99 ($2500)
• GPA 4.00-4.24 ($5000)
• GPA 4.25-4.50 ($7500)

Past winners:

• 2022: Not awarded
• 2021: Serena Werbowesky
• 2020: Serena Werbowesky
• 2019: Jaehyeong Yang
• 2018: Not awarded
• 2017: Jaewoo Yang
• 2016: Kang Min Kim

In memory of Agnes Stewart Hart, who died in June 1990, her sister, Dr. Margaret E. Hart, has established a fund at the University of Manitoba. The Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative has made a contribution to this fund. Agnes Stewart Hart graduated from The University of Manitoba in 1931 with a B.A. (Honours) in Mathematics and went on to work in the actuarial department at Great West Life Assurance Company. She retired in 1975 from her position as an assistant economist with Canadian National Railway in Montreal. The available annual income from this fund will support an annual award which will be offered to a student who:

1. has completed at least the second year of study in the Major or Honours degree program in Mathematics in the Faculty of Science;
2. has achieved high standing in the Major or Honours program in Mathematics (a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5); and
3. continues as a full-time student in the Major or Honours program in Mathematics.

For high standing in the Major or Honours program in Mathematics by a 2nd or 3rd-year degree student in the Faculty of Science.

Past winners:

• 2022: Nolan Plett
• 2021: Aaron Shalev
• 2020: Not awarded
• 2019: Gun Kim
• 2018: Brock Klippenstein
• 2017: Bonnie Tang
• 2016: Sina Zabanfahm
• 2015: Landis Wong
• 2014: Patrick Naylor
• 2013: Gidon Bookatz
• 2012: Jason Klusowski
• 2011: Alexander Zief
• 2010: Liji Huang
• 2009: Trevor Rempel
• 2008: Garett Klus
• 2007: Trevor Wares
• 2005: Lee Ferchoff

Members of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Manitoba have established an endowment fund at the University to encourage excellence in Mathematics.

From this fund, an annual award shall be offered to the student who:

1. has completed the second year of the Honours Mathematics program (either the Joint or Single Honours);
2. has achieved the highest academic standing among the students who have completed the second year of the same program (minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5);
3. enrolls full-time in the third year of the Honours Mathematics program (Single or Joint).

Past winners:

• 2022: Serena Werbowesky, Jaskaran Singh
• 2021: Nolan Plett, Aaron Shalev
• 2020: Bikramjit Dhaliwal
• 2019: Remy Bell
• 2018: Yuxiang Hu, Tessa Reimer
• 2017: Yuxiang Hu, Yeyoung Won
• 2016: Tyler D. Evans, Jeremy Friesen, Michael Kresta
• 2015: Ryan Sherbo
• 2014: Shaun McDonald
• 2013: Suraj Srinivasan
• 2012: Toban Wiebe
• 2011: Jonas Lippuner
• 2010: Iian Smythe
• 2009: Damjan Kalajdievski
• 2008: Athena Nguyen, Trevor Rempel, Todd Sirens
• 2007: Michael Himbeault

In 1992, Dr. Margaret Owchar Marchand (B.A., Mathematics /45) established an endowment fund at the University of Manitoba to support scholarships for women students entering the Faculty of Science. Initially valued at $10,000, the fund has grown considerably over the years through additional gifts from Dr. Marchand. By 2009, enrolment of female students in most Science programs had increased markedly, and the Scholarship was, therefore, amended to encourage female students to enter Mathematics, in particular. The available annual interest on this fund (initially $350) will be used to offer one or more scholarships, with a minimum value of $1,000 each, to female students who:

1. graduated from a high school in rural Manitoba;
2. have achieved a minimum degree grade point average of 3.5 in their first year of study at the University; and
3. in the next ensuing academic session, enroll as full-time students (minimum 80 percent course load) in the Faculty of Science, in any Major or Honours program in the numerical sciences (including actuarial mathematics, computer science, mathematics, and statistics) leading to a Bachelor of Science degree.

Past winners:

• 2010: Todd Pernerowski
• 2009: Heather Champion
• 2008: Cydney Cuvelier

For female students who: graduated from a high school in rural Manitoba; have achieved a minimum degree grade point average of 3.5 in their first year of study at the university; in the next ensuing academic session, enroll as full-time in the Faculty of Science, in any Major or Honours program in the numerical sciences (mathematics, computer science, actuarial mathematics and statistics) leading to a Bachelor of Science degree.

This prize goes to the highest ranking student at a Canadian university in the Putnam Mathematics Competition.

Dr. Mendelsohn was born in 1917 in Brooklyn, New York City. He completed all his university degrees at the University of Toronto. As an undergraduate, he was a member of the University of Toronto team, which came in first in the first Putnam Competition. His distinguished career as a mathematician spanned 60 years from 1945 to 2005. Except for a brief stay at Queen’s University, he was a professor at the University of Manitoba, where he held the position of department head for almost a quarter of a century. Dr. Mendelsohn was the president of the Canadian Mathematical Society from 1969 to 1971. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, winner of the Henry Marshall Tory Medal and a member of the Order of Canada. His research, which gained worldwide recognization, was in combinatorics, classical geometry and finite groups. For more information see his Wikipedia page. See also the Putnam Mathematics Competition.

Past Nathan Mendelsohn Prize winners:

• 2022: Michael Li (University of Toronto)
• 2021: Not awarded
• 2020: Anzo Zhao Yang Teh (University of Waterloo)
• 2019: Albert Gevorgyan (University of Waterloo)
• 2018: Michael Chow (University of Toronto)
• 2017: Daniel Spivak (University of Waterloo)
• 2016: Daniel Spivak (University of Waterloo)
• 2015: Daniel Spivak (University of Waterloo)
• 2014: Daniel Spivak (University of Waterloo)
• 2013: Kangning Chen (University of Waterloo) and Sam Eisenstat (University of Waterloo)
• 2012: Hao Sun (University of Waterloo)
• 2011: Ruiyuan Chen (University of British Columbia)
• 2010: Konstantin Matveev (University of Toronto)
• 2009: Steven Karp (University of Waterloo) and Boyu Li (University of Waterloo).

Robert Ross (Bob) McLaughlin (1923-2009) was born in Winnipeg’s North End in 1923. His parents imbued in him a sense of social justice, which he passed on to his children. His deep love and understanding of mathematics shaped and directed his life. Following his graduation from the University of Manitoba with a degree in mathematics and physics (Class of 1947) he applied his analytical mind to the science of smelting and refining. Ten years later he moved into the credit union movement. Investments were part of his responsibilities until his retirement in 1983. Bob lived his love of mathematics in his daily life with family and friends, teaching them bridge, and sharing his fascination with mathematical puzzles. Numbers can be mystical. Bob revered prime numbers, studied the lives of mathematicians and valued the profound connections between numbers and people. He had a sense of balance, perfection and the infinite, fortified by his rich life in the world of mathematics. In memory of Robert Ross McLaughlin [B.Sc. (Hons.)/47], friends, family, and the Department of Mathematics have established an endowment fund at the University of Manitoba. The available annual interest from the fund will be used to offer one scholarship (minimum value of $1,500) to an undergraduate student who:

1. has achieved the highest standing in the third year of any Mathematics Honours program, with a minimum degree grade point average of 3.5; and
2. in the next ensuing academic session, is enrolled full-time (minimum 80% course load) in the fourth year of study, in the Faculty of Science, in any Mathematics Honours program.

Past winners:

• 2022: Aaron Shalev
• 2021: William Kellough
• 2020: Jared Gobin
• 2019: Brock Klippenstein
• 2018: Robert Harris
• 2017: Mary Elaine Herrera
• 2016: Ryan Sherbo
• 2015: Shaun McDonald
• 2014: Gidon Bookatz
• 2013: Sakib Rahman
• 2012: Jason Lippuner
• 2011: Iian Smythe

From contributions in memory of Professor Bernard Noonan, a long-time member of the Department of Mathematics, a prize fund has been established. The Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative has made a contribution to this fund. The available annual income from the fund will be used to offer one or more prizes to a student who has completed with high standing third year in the honours program in Mathematics at The University of Manitoba.

Past winners:

• 2022: Jashanpreet Bal, Marshall Kaatz
• 2021: William Kellough, Maxwell Yue
• 2020: Lyn Qian, Max Gutkin, Jared Gobin
• 2019: Tessa Reimer, Brock Klippenstein
• 2018: Ian Thompson
• 2017: Tyler Evans
• 2016: Landis Wong
• 2015: Shaun McDonald
• 2014: Sakib Rahman
• 2013: Kaitlin Alexander
• 2012: Joseph Haraldson
• 2011: Brett Kolesnik
• 2010: Brett Kolesnik
• 2009: Garett Klus
• 2007, 2006: Nathanael Friesen
• 2005: Cozmin Ududec

Dr. Robert Thomas of the Department of Mathematics of The University of Manitoba offers an annual award to reward and encourage excellence among undergraduates in applied mathematics programs. The Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative has made a contribution to this fund.

One award, valued at the available annual interest, is to be offered each year to the student who has completed either second or third year with a full course load and with a minimum G.P.A. of 3.5 and who is judged by the selection committee to be the best mathematics student in those years (based on courses in pure and applied mathematics). Other things being equal, the award is to be offered to the best third year student (minimum 3.5 G.P.A.).

Previous winners:

• 2022: Xiangye Xu
• 2021: Spencer Szabados
• 2020: Lyn Qian
• 2019: Not awarded
• 2018: Not awarded
• 2017: Yu Li
• 2016: Tyler Evans
• 2015: Michael Kresta
• 2014: Tim Homan
• 2013: Timjan Kalajdzievski
• 2012: Krista Reimer
• 2011: Jody Reimer
• 2010: William Toni
• 2009: Todd Sierens
• 2008: Jooyong Cha
• 2007: Sohyun Choi
• 2006: Not awarded
• 2005: Michael Smadella

In memory of Dr. Jiri Sichler, Mrs. Marie Sichler has made annual contributions to the University of Manitoba to offer the Dr. Jiri Sichler Memorial Scholarship in Algebra. The purpose of the scholarship is to reward undergraduate Mathematics students who display achievement in the ffeld of algebra. One scholarship of $4,250 will be offered to an undergraduate student who:

1. is enrolled full-time (minimum 80% course load) in the fourth year of study in any degree program offered by the Department of Mathematics in the Faculty of Science;
2. has achieved a minimum degree grade point average of 3.0; and
3. among the students who have met criteria (1) and (2) above, has achieved the highest combined standing in Algebra 2 (MATH 3320) and Algebra 3 (MATH 3322).

In the event of a tie, the total value of the scholarship will be split evenly between all eligible tied candidates.

Previous winners:

• 2022: James Young
• 2021: Norman Relis
• 2020: Jared Gobin
• 2019: Tessa Reimer