Monique Chyba, a mathematics professor in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Natural Sciences, has been named a 2025 recipient of the Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics, presented by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).
The award recognizes professors whose teaching excellence has had a broad impact beyond their home institutions. Chyba was selected for her innovative, community-centered approach to mathematics education and her efforts to make the subject more accessible and culturally relevant. She will be presented the award at the MAA MathFest in Sacramento in August, an annual event that gathers thousands of mathematicians and educators.
Place-based curriculum
At UH Mānoa, Chyba led the redesign of Math 100 into a place-based curriculum developed in partnership with community leaders and faculty members. The course weaves local knowledge and culture into foundational math concepts, helping students connect mathematical thinking to their identities and communities.
“A primary goal of mine as an educator is to show students that mathematics isn’t just abstract theory, it’s deeply connected to their daily lives and surroundings,” Chyba said. “Math isn’t only about numbers or equations on a page; it’s a powerful tool for action, reflection and connection. Both mathematics and real life can be messy, but they’re also beautiful, and absolutely worth the effort.”
One of Chyba’s former students said, “Overall, I have gotten to experience Monique Chyba’s joy and success of teaching math both first and second-hand. She is able to inspire students and help them unlock their potential like very few teachers I’ve met, and I will always credit her as the start of my journey into mathematics and teaching.”
For mathematicians to build a message that will resonate with the community and be approachable isn’t always easy, but Chyba has been able to bridge the barrier by spending time with K–12 teachers and students, as well as by giving public lectures and learning from community feedback.
“This award truly belongs to the students, they shape me every day as an educator. It’s both an honor and a privilege to be part of their educational journey,” Chyba said.
Over more than two decades, Chyba has involved hundreds of students from UH in community-based service. For example, she helped lead “808 Math Island Style: Computational Modeling and Simulation of Epidemic Infectious Diseases,” where middle school students worked with real-world data on disease spread under the guidance of college mentors. The program fostered interest in STEM while introducing the practical uses of mathematics in public health.
- Related UH News story: UH math department translates pandemic knowledge into K–12 curriculum, June 28, 2023
