School of Mathematics announces inaugural Distinguished Faculty Award winners
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (2/11/2026) – Four School of Mathematics faculty members – Christine Berkesch, Hao Jia, Jonathan Rogness, and Mike Weimerskirch – have been named the inaugural recipients of the department’s Distinguished Faculty Awards. The newly-established honors recognize outstanding contributions to teaching, education, and research by University of Minnesota Mathematics professors.
Christine Berkesch: Distinguished Teaching by Tenure-Stream Faculty
Berkesch, a member of the Mathematics faculty since 2013, is an expert in algebraic geometry and commutative algebra. In the classroom, Berkesch has taught courses like Introduction to Modern Algebra, Mathematics in Society, and Commutative Algebra. She is recognized as an excellent teacher and mentor, consistently making positive impacts to teaching and curriculum reform. Most recently, she developed a new course, "Mathematics for Social Justice" and led the redesign of Math 3283W from an inclusive active learning approach.
Hao Jia: Distinguished Research by Tenure-Stream Faculty
Since joining the UMN faculty in 2017, Jia has made waves in the world of nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) research. His world-class research program is focused on fundamental problems in mathematical fluid dynamics, including the central question of stability in the Navier-Stokes equation. Jia’s substantial research contributions have had a measurable impact on the mathematical community’s understanding of nonlinear PDEs.
Jonathan Rogness: Distinguished Service by Tenure-Stream or Instructional Faculty
Rogness serves the School of Mathematics as an Associate Professor and the Director of Educational Programs for the Mathematics Center for Educational Programs (MathCEP). Over the course of his career, he has been a leader in stewarding the highly successful University of Minnesota Talented Youth Mathematics Program (UMTYMP), which received the Award for an Exemplary Program from the American Mathematical Society. Rogness has also served as a mentor to numerous MathCEP postdoctoral associates and MS students, and was a key member in developing the Distributed Open Education Network (Doenet).
Mike Weimerskirch: Distinguished Teaching by Instructional Faculty
Mike Weimerskirch – Associate Professor and Director of Educational Innovation for MathCEP – has made foundational contributions to the School of Mathematics’ pre-algebra course sequence, including the development of several online textbooks and the Minnesota Online Learning System (MOLS), which was awarded the Wolfram Innovator Award. Weimerskirch was also a collaborator on the implementation of the Doenet.
The School of Mathematics established the Distinguished Faculty Awards in 2026 as a way to further recognize outstanding contributions to the department, the discipline, and the Mathematics community beyond what is available at the college and University levels. The department plans to add Distinguished Staff Awards to the program in 2027.