COSAM News Articles 2016 August Rodger reappointed as Don Logan Endowed Chair of Mathematics

Rodger reappointed as Don Logan Endowed Chair of Mathematics

Published: 08/24/2016

Chris Rodger, professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, has been reappointed as the Don Logan Endowed Chair of Mathematics. Rodger is the recipient of a wide range of awards and accolades, including: the 2006 Scharnagel Professorship; the 2008 Auburn University Outreach Award; and the Hall Medal, given by the Institute of Combinatorics and its Applications.

Rodger holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Sydney, Australia, and a doctorate from the University of Reading, England.

A COSAM faculty member for more than 25 years, he has received numerous grants for his outreach work and was among the six principal investigators on a $9 million National Science Foundation grant for the program, “Transforming East Alabama Mathematics,” or TEAM-Math. The purpose of TEAM-Math was to improve mathematics education in 14 local and regional school districts.

As COSAM’s associate dean for research and graduate studies from 2010-2014, Rodger led efforts to assist faculty with grant opportunities and proposal development and maintained contract records for the college.

Don Logan and his wife, Sandy, established the Logan Endowed Chair in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Don graduated magna cum laude from Auburn University with a degree in mathematics in 1966. His achievements were recognized in 1997 with an honorary doctorate from Auburn and in 2004 with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Auburn Alumni Association. Some of his career highlights include being named president of Oxmoor House, the book publishing division, and becoming chairman and chief executive officer of Southern Progress, which was later acquired by Time Inc. As chairman of Time Warner’s Media & Communications Group he oversaw America Online, Time Inc., Time Warner Cable and the Time Warner Book Group. He retired in 2006. Sandy is from Decatur, Ala., and has served on the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art Advisory Board. She was also the visionary of an organization that promotes sciences and mathematics to women and girls, the Society of Women in Sciences and Mathematics. The COSAM-sponsored organization strives to inspire the next generation of women by exposing them to today’s female leaders and role models in sciences and mathematics. The Logans have two grown sons, Jeff and Stan, both of whom are graduates of Auburn University.