DR. COLIN GARNETT SELECTED AS DISTINGUISHED FACULTY AWARD RECIPIENT

Dr. Colin Garnett, associate professor of mathematics at Black Hills State University, was named the recipient of the BHSU Distinguished Faculty Award Friday.

Garnett was recognized for his dedication to teaching, professional achievements, and exemplary service to the University. BHSU President Laurie S. Nichols and Dr. Pamela Carriveau, interim provost, presented the award to Garnett during one of his classes and congratulated him on earning the highest faculty honor at BHSU.

Candidates for the Distinguished Faculty Award are nominated by other BHSU faculty members and reviewed by the Distinguished Faculty Committee. They make a recommendation to the Faculty Senate who then recommends a final candidate to the Provost. In Garnett’s nomination letter, a BHSU faculty member wrote, “Dr. Garnett possesses a keen mathematical mind and is an accomplished researcher. What I admire most about him, however, is his passion for teaching, his collegiality, his thoughtfulness, and his work ethic. He has consistently shown a willingness to do what is needed to help the mathematics program, the school, the college, the university, and the community.” 

In his nine years at BHSU, Garnett has become known for his collegiality and commitment to his students. His teaching has consistently received top rankings on the student opinion surveys conducted at the end of each course, and he received the College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Teaching Award for the 2019-2020 academic year.

He regularly travels with students to the Rocky Mountain section of the American Math Association and has often led BHSU Math Circle sessions, which provide enrichment activities for high school students.

Garnett is an active scholar with publications in the areas of graphic theory, combinatorial matrix theory and combinatorics. He received the College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Award for the 2015-2016 academic year and has served as a reviewer, referee, and contributing editor for respected academic publications in mathematics.

Garnett previously served on the BHSU Faculty Senate and is currently the Coordinator for College Algebra. He received the University Outstanding Service Award for the 2018-2019 academic year.

Following his graduation with a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Wyoming in 2011, Garnett received a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Victoria in Victoria, Canada. He joined the mathematics faculty at Black Hills State University as assistant professor in 2013 and received tenure and promotion to associate professor in 2019.