Terry Herdman honored with emeritus status
Terry Herdman, professor of mathematics in the Virginia Tech College of Science, former director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Mathematics, and former associate vice president for research computing at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of professor, director, and associate vice president 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 by Virginia Tech President Tim Sands in recognition of exemplary service to the university. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board receive a copy of the resolution and a certificate of appreciation.
A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1974, Herdman made significant contributions to the modeling, analysis, parameter identification, and approximation for systems governed by Volterra and functional differential equations. His research was funded by 12 federal agencies, one state agency, and three corporations.
In addition, Herdman was an associate editor for the Journal of Integral Equations and Applications and served as a member, vice chair, and chair of the board of directors of Oak Ridge Associated Universities. He also served as vice president for education of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics as well as on the governing boards of UT Battelle, the Southeastern Universities Research Association, and Mu Alpha Theta.
In his 35 years as the founding director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Mathematics, Herdman played a central role in developing Virginia Tech’s strength in applied mathematics and led the center to international prominence. In his 17 years as the associate vice president for research computing, he built a strong university-based research computing team.
Herdman was an award-winning teacher who directed nine master’s degree student theses and nine Ph.D. dissertations, organized an international exchange program for graduate students, and directed the undergraduate program in applied and computational mathematics at the Blacksburg campus and the graduate program in interdisciplinary applied mathematics at the university’s Falls Church location.
Herdman earned his bachelor’s degree from Fort Hays State University and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma.
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