Samaranayake named interim chair of mathematics and statistics

Posted by
On July 3, 2019

Samaranayake teaching

Dr. V.A. Samaranayake teaches his statistics course in Centennial Hall. Sam O’Keefe/Missouri S&T

Dr. V.A. Samaranayake, Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor of mathematics and statistics and associate chair, has been named interim chair of the mathematics and statistics department. His appointment will begin Sunday, Sept. 1.

Samaranayake will replace Dr. Stephen Clark, who served as chair of mathematics and statistics since September 2013. Clark is retiring after 32 years of service to S&T. He joined S&T as an assistant professor in 1987, was named associate professor in 1993, and professor in 2003.

Stephen Clark
Stephen Clark

During his tenure, Clark guided S&T’s mathematics and statistics department through its evolution from a strong, classically-based mathematics program to one with an active applied and computational group that promotes experiential learning and interdisciplinary research and development. Under Clark’s leadership, the department also revamped its calculus pedagogy and sequence to improve student success in these essential foundational courses.

Samaranayake, who also serves as the director of graduate studies for the mathematics and statistics department, joined the Missouri S&T faculty as an assistant professor of mathematics and statistics in 1983. He was named associate professor in 1989, professor in 2003, and Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor in 2013.

Samaranayake earned a Ph.D. in statistics from Kansas State University in 1983. He earned a post-graduate diploma in statistics from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in 1974 and a bachelor of science degree from the University of Colombo in 1972.

In 2017, Samaranayake was designated a fellow of the American Statistical Association.

Share this page

mm
Posted by

On July 3, 2019. Posted in Announcements

preload imagepreload image