Contribution to maths recognised

University of Otago mathematician Prof Derek Holton holds a print, by artist Frank Gordon, presented to him yesterday by the Otago Mathematics Association to honour his services to mathematics education. Photo by Craig Baxter.

Prof Holton (67), the English-born former head of the University of Otago mathematics and statistics department, is retiring from the university next April.

After giving a talk to about 80 people at an Otago Mathematics Association "mini conference" at the university, he was presented with a print by the association to mark his services to mathematics education.

Noel Johnston, a teaching fellow in mathematics at the university college of education, paid tribute to Prof Holton's many contributions to school education in mathematics, including his leading role in the National Bank Junior Mathematics Competition, established in 1986, as well as with the New Zealand Mathematical Olympiad (1996-2004), and, since 2000, as chairman of national numeracy development projects.

Prof Holton has also long offered classes to extend "gifted and talented" secondary school mathematics pupils, making many visits to Dunedin schools.

He has also played a key role, with Gill Thomas and Joe Morrison, in helping to establish and develop the New Zealand mathematics Internet site -www.nzmaths.co.nz- which provides support for mathematics teachers and parents.

Oliver Linsell, now a first-year Otago health science student, and Edward Law, a year 13 pupil at Logan Park High School, also told the gathering about the significant benefit they had gained from classes by Prof Holton.

Prof Holton said in an interview the success of the numeracy development projects, which had been strongly supported by the Ministry of Education, added to his optimism about the future of mathematics education.

The mathematics Internet site had also proved successful, he said.