Frank Quinn honored with emeritus status

10 Apr 2015

Frank Quinn, University Distinguished Professor of Mathematics in the College of Science at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of “University Distinguished Professor Emeritus” by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

The emeritus title may be conferred on retired professors, associate professors, and administrative officers who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Timothy D. Sands. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.

A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1977, Quinn made significant contributions to the understanding of the topology of manifolds and related areas of topology. His research was published in the leading mathematics journals and he frequently was an invited speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians and in Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences lecture series.

Throughout his career, Quinn engaged many of the best mathematicians of the late 20th century in a stimulating, high-profile dialogue on the direction of the profession. He organized several mathematics conferences and special sessions, served on five committees of the American Mathematical Society, and served on the Council of the American Mathematical Society.

In addition, he held editorial roles with the Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society and was a member on a national K-12 mathematics standards panel. Quinn also wrote educational software that was used by thousands of Virginia Tech students.

Quinn was elected a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society and was selected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

At Virginia Tech, his contributions to research and the profession were recognized by a Virginia Tech Alumni Award for Research Excellence, a Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award, and a University Distinguished Professorship.

Quinn received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of Virginia, and Ph.D. from Princeton University.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.