2025: Aparna Higgins, Milestone Book Selection
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Link
Link to item in catalog
Year of Recognition
8-16-2025
Recognition
Promotion to the rank of Professor Emerita, Department of Mathematics
Book Selection
A Mathematician's Apology, by G.H. Hardy with a foreword by C.P. Snow
Keywords
Academic tenure, promotion, professional milestone
Recommended Citation
Higgins, Aparna, "2025: Aparna Higgins, Milestone Book Selection" (2025). Milestone Recognition Program. 192.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/svc_milestone/192
Why the honoree chose the book
I have been influenced by G.H. Hardy's A Mathematician's Apology since my college days and have frequently turned to it to reinforce the notion that mathematics is a creative art, in which beautiful patterns are made with ideas. The utilitarian value of the product is not a factor in determining if the mathematician's effort is worthwhile; a good theorem has serious mathematics in it, can be generalized to make connections between different mathematical constructs, and has a proof that is beautiful in its exposition. I tried to emphasize the beauty of mathematics to all my students, whether they were in my classes or were engaged in undergraduate research under my direction.