Bozenna Pasik-Duncan recognized for contributions to women in mathematics

LAWRENCE — Bozenna Pasik-Duncan, University of Kansas professor of mathematics, has been named to the 2021 Class of Fellows for the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) for her support and encouragement of women and girls in mathematics and engineering.

Pasik-Duncan, who is also a KU Chancellors Club Teaching Professor and courtesy professor of aerospace engineering and electrical engineering & computer science, will be recognized for her decades of contributions as a founder and sustainer of the Women in Control Committee of the IEEE Control Systems Society, as the chair of IFAC’s Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion and other outreach efforts.

Pasik-Duncan will join the fourth class of fellows at the AWM virtual reception in January at the 2021 virtual Joint Mathematics Meetings.

The AWM Fellows Program was established to recognize individuals who have demonstrated a sustained commitment consistent with the AWM mission: “to encourage women and girls to study and to have active careers in the mathematical sciences, and to promote equal opportunity and the equal treatment of women and girls in the mathematical sciences.”

Pasik-Duncan has been working for more than 20 years to encourage young girls and women of all ages to succeed in STEM fields and to be recognized by their schools and professional organizations. She served as the global chair for IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Women in Engineering (WIE) for 2017 and 2018. As chair, she created new activities with urgent goals to bring visibility around the world for women in engineering and STEM. She is an advocate for forming an alliance with IEEE WIE and WePOWER, whose mission is to promote women in the energy and power sector in eight South Asian countries.

Pasik-Duncan has received other notable awards: IFAC (International Federation Automatic Control) Fellow, IEEE Fellow, IEEE third Millennium Medal, KU Women’s Hall of Fame and AWM’s Louise Hay Award.

Margaret Bayer, professor of mathematics, was selected as a fellow in 2020, and Judy Roitman, professor emeritus of mathematics, was selected to the inaugural class of 2018.