Dr. Sinclair was a gifted student, who found her academic calling later in life after prioritizing family. She received her PhD from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto when she was 51 years old, and while working full time as a vice principal. For the rest of her career, Dr. Sinclair shared her love of learning and expertise with others through her favourite subject: mathematics. Each year, the Award Committee selects a nominee who embodies the qualities championed by its namesake. These include creative leadership in enhancing the learning environment and serving as a role model for students and colleagues.

Starting in 2024, the Margaret Sinclair Award will now recognize an early or mid-career educator, in line with Sinclair’s devotion to supporting the careers of young people. We are thrilled to announce that this year’s recipient is Dr. Lauren DeDieu, Associate Professor (Teaching) at the University of Calgary, whose award-winning passion for mathematical pedagogy and award-winning leadership in outreach forums makes her a natural choice for the honour.

Originally from the east coast, Dr. DeDieu completed her PhD studies at McMaster University, where she enjoyed her research in algebraic geometry; but she really came to life when it was time to teach. During a postdoc at the University of Minnesota, she got involved with the University of Minnesota Talented Youth Mathematics Program (UMTYMP), which opens the doors of academia to students in elementary, middle and high school who want to accelerate their mathematics learning. Students spend up to five years taking courses on the university campus, often streamlining the entire high school mathematics curriculum in the first two years. Many who graduate from the program go on to pursue mathematics at a post-secondary level at institutions like MIT and Harvard.

The experience was directional for her, and inspired DeDieu to get heavily involved in outreach. So much so that when she moved on to her full-time faculty position at the University of Calgary, she recreated some of the ideas behind the program at her new post. In the Spring of 2019, DeDieu launched Girls Excel in Math, a Saturday morning program that recruits girls in Grades 6-8 who show interest in mathematics and want to explore the subject at a higher level.

“We look at areas of math that you wouldn’t necessarily see in school, like cryptology, graph colouring, fractals and origami. Things that are easy to introduce and fun and see where math is used in the real world, interactive,” she explains from Arizona, where she’s wisely spending some time during her sabbatical year. “We start in a big lecture hall where I’ll introduce the topic. The students think it’s cool because they get to come to a university and sit in a big lecture hall. Then they go to smaller classrooms with other students and the teachers and volunteers help facilitate activities that I create.”

Despite a global pandemic, the GEM program has more than doubled in attendance since its inaugural year and now boasts 180 students. And since it only runs during the school year, that left an entire summer to do more math. In addition to her teaching – where she coordinates the seminal first-year calculus class for 1,300 students – and running GEM, DeDieu has also created an overnight camp for math students across Alberta. True to form, it was an immediate success. Something to celebrate for most; an opportunity to do more for the dedicated educator: “The first time I ran that camp, we had 150 applicants for 21 spots. I felt so bad; I didn’t want to say no to 130 people, so I created another camp that same year and invited everyone else to that camp.”

Above: Dr. DeDieu's first math summer camp saw 150 applications for 30 spots.

DeDieu is humble and soft-spoken, eager to talk about her passion for teaching math and empowering girls and women in embracing the subject, but hesitant to toot her own horn. That’s where the nomination letters come in.

“Through her post-secondary teaching and community engagement work, Lauren has had a direct impact on the lives of hundreds of junior high, high school and university students, inculcating an excitement about science and, in particular, about mathematics. These students will be the scientists of the future and, for some of them at least, their interactions with Lauren will have played a crucial role. Lauren is a truly excellent, innovative mathematics educator,” read one letter.

Another put it more succinctly: “I can say that Dr. Lauren DeDieu stands out amongst the country’s best young mathematics educators.”

In her own words, DeDieu sums up why Fields took the decision to recognize younger educators. “It’s important to get a bit of validation for things that we do, especially when it comes to teaching. You’re a bit in a silo doing your own thing. I run all these programs, but it’s kind of just me doing it – the outreach stuff is on the side. It’s not necessarily something that’s a standard part of someone’s job so it’s nice to be recognized.” For all the work she does recognizing and uplifting others, it’s high time to applaud Lauren DeDieu’s efforts to change the equation in an environment that still demands much more of its advocates than it should. 

Lauren DeDieu will present the 2024 Margaret Sinclair Memorial Award Lecture at the September MathEd Forum in Toronto.