CANADIAN PROFESSOR RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL AWARD

OTTAWA, Ontario — The International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) has announced that Luis Radford of Laurentian University is the recipient of the 2011 Hans Freudenthal Medal. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in mathematics education research, and in particular a major cumulative research program.

"This prestigious international award recognizes the important contributions made by Luis Radford to the understanding of the teaching and learning of mathematics in general, and of algebra in particular," noted Frédéric Gourdeau (Université Laval), Canadian representative to the ICMI. "Luis is well known in Canada and internationally, and we are proud to count him as a member of our community."

Luis Radford has developed a semiotic-cultural theory of learning, drawing on epistemology, semiotics, anthropology, psychology, and philosophy to examine the learning and teaching of mathematics. He has used this framework to examine how students use signs and assign them meaning when studying algebra. The impact of Radford’s programme of research has led to significant new insights in algebra teaching and learning, and his framework is broadly applicable in the education field.

"This award is a fine example of the respect and stature that Canadian mathematics, and more specifically mathematics teaching and learning, is garnering on the international stage," commented Jacques Hurtubise, President of the Canadian Mathematical Society.

The ICMI is a commission of the International Mathematical Union (IMU), a non-governmental and non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote international cooperation in mathematics. Radford’s accomplishment marks the first time that a Canadian has received an ICMI medal since the establishment of these awards in 2003.

About the Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS)

The CMS is the national mathematics organization whose goal is to promote the advancement, discovery, learning, and application of mathematics. The Society's activities cover the whole spectrum of mathematics including: scientific meetings, research publications, and the promotion of excellence in mathematics education at all levels.