Jump to content

Overtoun Jenda

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Overtoun Jenda
Born
Malawi
AwardsPresidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring
Academic background
EducationBSc, mathematics, University of Malawi
MSc, PhD, 1981, University of Kentucky
ThesisOn Injective Resolvents (1981)
Academic work
InstitutionsAuburn University
University of Kentucky

Overtoun Malandula G. Jenda[1] is a Malawi-born American mathematician. He is a Professor of Mathematics and Assistant Provost for Special Projects and Initiatives at Auburn University. Jenda received a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring in 2020 and was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2024.

Early life and education

[edit]

Jenda was born and raised in Malawi.[2] He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from the University of Malawi before moving to the United States. He then completed a Master of Science and PhD in mathematics from the University of Kentucky.[3] His PhD was completed under the advisement of Edgar Earle Enochs.[1]

Career

[edit]

After completing his PhD, Jenda taught at the University of Kentucky until 1988, when he accepted a professorship at Auburn University (AU).[2] As he was the only Black faculty member in the department, he was often sought out by Black students for assistance and guidance.[4] In 1994, Jenda established the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program at AU and started a summer internship program for minority students.[4][5] As the director of LSAMP, Jenda opened and operated a drop-in tutoring center and developed an outreach program aimed at recruiting high-school students interested in engineering.[6][7] He also established the Summer Bridge Program to help minority students get acclimated to the changes from high school to university.[8] Outside of his work with LSAMP, Jenda was appointed a Full professor in 1997 and became the associate dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics in 2000.[9] Jenda ran the Summer Bridge Program until 2006 when he was appointed AU's associate provost for diversity and multicultural affairs.[9][4]

As an associate provost, Jenda established the Provost Leadership Undergraduate Scholarship (PLUS) Program to support underrepresented students.[10] By 2009, PLUS had provided scholarships to 125 students, including 55 first-generation college students. As such, PLUS received the 2009 Scholarship Provider of the Year Award from the National Scholarship Providers Association.[11][12] In 2011, Jenda co-founded the Southern Africa Mathematical Sciences Association Masamu project to increase the presence of American mathematical research in Africa.[13]

Jenda received a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring in 2020[14] and was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2024.[15]


References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Overtoun Malandula G. Jenda". genealogy.math.ndsu.nodak.edu. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Malawi's own Prof. Overtoun Jenda honoured among world's top scientists". Nyasa Times. May 4, 2025. Archived from the original on May 5, 2025. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  3. ^ "Meet the Southeast Hub". TAPDINTO-STEM Alliance. Archived from the original on December 11, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Abebe, Ash; Lenhart, Suzanne; McCullough, Brittany (February 2021). "Overtoun Jenda: A STEM Mentor Extraordinaire" (PDF). Notices of the American Mathematical Society. 68: 2. doi:10.1090/noti2214. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  5. ^ "LSAmp: Our History". Auburn University. Archived from the original on May 18, 2025. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  6. ^ Chapman, Michelle (December 17, 1996). "AU center teaches concepts". Birmingham Post-Herald. Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Edwards, Norval (November 18, 1996). "Minorities at Auburn boosted by Coca-Cola". Ledger-Enquirer. Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Minority students get head start at Auburn". Ledger-Enquirer. September 17, 1997. Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ a b "Overtoun Jenda named Auburn's diversity chief". The Selma Times-Journal. November 6, 2005. Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Weaver, Amy (May 25, 2006). "AU seeking to increase minorities on campus". The Opelika-Auburn News. Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Scholarship: 125 students aided since '06". The Birmingham News. March 10, 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Auburn's undergraduate scholar program gets national award". The Birmingham News. December 17, 2009. Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Miles, Lindsay (February 9, 2015). "Auburn University program promotes worldwide mathematical research in southern Africa". University of Auburn. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  14. ^ Reid, Neal (August 13, 2020). "Auburn's Jenda receives prestigious presidential mentoring award". Auburn University. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  15. ^ Jernigan, Mike (April 16, 2025). "Auburn faculty members honored as 2024 AAAS Fellows". Auburn University. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Overtoun_Jenda&oldid=1290938398"