Each year, COMAP proudly honors outstanding educators and leaders who have made remarkable contributions to advancing mathematical modeling and mathematics education. These awards recognize individuals whose work reflects the spirit of collaboration, mentorship, and innovation that define COMAP’s mission.

Doug Faires Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Eric Marland

In memory of Doug Faires, a gifted teacher and mathematics educator, the purpose of the Doug Faires Lifetime Achievement award is to recognize individuals for their many years of service or who in one special year made outstanding contributions to mathematics education in the spirit of Doug. Doug was a master at getting the best out of those around him, encouraging them to recognize their own potential, and mentoring them to achievements far beyond their expectations. The recipient is acknowledged as emulating Doug, who as a dedicated teacher believed in the power of mathematical modeling to motivate students at all levels and to lead them on a path to life-long learning.

This year’s recipient, Dr. Eric Marland, exemplifies that spirit. A professor emeritus at Appalachian State University and affiliate faculty member at the University of Montana, Dr. Marland has dedicated his career to advancing mathematical modeling across biology, environmental science, and education. His research, which spans forest dynamics, climate policy, and mathematical biology, has often involved undergraduate collaborators, reflecting his deep commitment to mentorship and student engagement.

As one of the founding board members of the Special Interest Group of the Mathematical Association of America (SIGMAA) on Mathematical and Computational Biology, Dr. Marland has been instrumental in building academic communities that bridge disciplines. He has organized countless workshops and faculty development programs, judged robotics and modeling competitions, and participated in, advised, and judged COMAP’s MCM/ICM.

Reflecting on the honor, Dr. Marland shared his gratitude:

“I would like to offer my deepest thanks to the kind and welcoming people at COMAP. They have built an amazing community of educators and staff who support mathematical modeling education. I am so grateful and pleased to be a part of it… I am looking forward to many more years working with the great team at COMAP.”

Sol Garfunkel Award: Dr. Dan Teague and Dr. Jennifer Suh

The Sol Garfunkel award is given to individuals who embody Sol’s visionary and executive skills in bringing about significant improvement in mathematics education. Such improvement can come in a variety of ways. As COMAP’s Founder and Executive Director, Sol was always thinking critically and engaged in wide-ranging conversations regarding what became the mission of COMAP; he was prepared to leverage opportunities and connect the best people in service of manifesting his ideas. We are grateful to the recipient for supporting the work and mission of COMAP in vital ways.

Dr. Dan Teague, of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM), has inspired generations of students through his pioneering work in mathematical modeling. Now in his 51st year of teaching, Dr. Teague has developed innovative courses like Combinatorics, Graph Theory, Complex Systems, and Mathematical Modeling (his personal favorite). His classes have empowered students to approach real-world problems with creativity and confidence, often leading to lifelong professional and academic impact.

Dr. Teague’s connection to COMAP runs deep. In 1988, after consulting with Sol Garfunkel about whether high school teams could compete in the MCM, he entered two NCSSM teams, one earning an Outstanding Solution and the other a Meritorious award. That milestone helped pave the way for high school participation in modeling contests, including today’s HiMCM.

In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Teague reflected:

“I am honored to be a recipient of the Sol Garfunkel Award. Sol and the previous recipients, Henry Pollak, Joe Malkevitch, and Wade Ellis, Jr, have all been educational luminaries, lighting my path as a high school mathematics teacher to mathematical modeling. I know these people and their work, and I am humbled to be considered a peer.”

Dr. Jennifer Suh, professor of mathematics education at George Mason University, also receives the Sol Garfunkel Award this year for her leadership in bringing mathematical modeling to the elementary level grades. Through her EQSTEMM project (Advancing Equity and Strengthening Teaching through Math Modeling), Dr. Suh has empowered teachers and young learners to use mathematics to explore community-based, real-world problems.

A longtime advocate for equity and culturally responsive teaching, Dr. Suh’s work demonstrates how modeling can foster empathy and agency in the classroom. Her leadership with NCTM, AMTE, and numerous NSF-funded projects has had a lasting impact on educators nationwide.

Accepting the award, Dr. Suh shared:

“Thank you for this incredible honor. I stand on the shoulders of giants whose work in mathematical modeling paved the way for educators like me to work on early math modeling. I am especially grateful to my brilliant collaborators... whose partnership through the EQSTEMM project has been instrumental in bringing the empowering tool of mathematical modeling to elementary teachers and their eager learners... This award affirms the power of mathematical modeling as a humanizing mathematical practice that centers youth’s voices and empowers them to make a difference in their communities—and in the world.”

Honoring a Legacy of Inspiration

This year’s awardees, Dr. Eric Marland, Dr. Dan Teague, and Dr. Jennifer Suh, represent the very best of what COMAP stands for: collaboration, mentorship, and the power of mathematical modeling to change how we see and shape the world.

Congratulations to the 2025 COMAP Award recipients!