Francis Su Named Fellow of the American Mathematical Society

Francis Su, Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics, has been elected a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (AMS). This recognition places Su among a select group of mathematicians honored for their significant contributions to the field.

The AMS Fellows program acknowledges members who have made outstanding contributions to the creation, exposition, advancement, communication and utilization of mathematics. The AMS, the largest and most influential society dedicated to mathematical research, scholarship and education, has named 41 new Fellows from around the world in its 2025 class. 

“I’m grateful for this honor and for colleagues who prepared the nomination. I’ve enjoyed working towards the creation and communication of mathematics and am grateful to be in a profession I love, working with faculty and students I admire,” Su said.

“[Francis] has demonstrable impact in all five of the nomination criteria—creation, exposition, advancement, communication, and utilization of mathematics—and is a highly effective leader in the mathematics community,” wrote Art Benjamin, Smallwood Professor of Mathematics, who submitted the letter of nomination for Su.

Su is a former president of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) as well as a former American Mathematical Society vice-president. He co-chaired an AMS Task Force that examined racial discrimination in the math profession and wrote the report Towards a Fully Inclusive Mathematics Profession (2020). Su has authored over 36 research papers in topological combinatorics, probability and game theory—many with Harvey Mudd undergraduates. He has been recognized multiple times by the MAA for his communication of math, including the 2013 Haimo Award for distinguished teaching of mathematics and the 2018 Halmos-Ford Award for outstanding mathematical exposition. His public-facing work includes Math Fun Facts, a website that receives more than a million hits every year, and a Real Analysis course on YouTube that has been viewed almost two million times. His recent book, Mathematics for Human Flourishing, received the 2021 Euler Book Prize and has been translated into eight languages. 

Harvey Mudd faculty members previously named an AMS Fellow are Lisette de Pillis, Norman F. Sprague Jr. Professor of Life Sciences and professor of mathematics (2016); Alfonso Castro, McAlister Professor of Mathematics (2015); Art Benjamin, Smallwood Family Professor of Mathematics (2012); former Harvey Mudd president Maria Klawe (2012); and former math professor Nicholas Pippenger (2012).

“I am delighted to congratulate the 2025 Class of AMS Fellows, recognized for their outstanding contributions to the mathematical sciences and for their extraordinary service to our profession,” said AMS President Bryna Kra. “This year’s class was selected from a large and excellent pool of candidates, highlighting the many ways that individuals advance our profession.”

For a complete list of the 2025 Class of AMS Fellows, visit AMS Fellows.