Suzanne Lenhart, Chancellor’s Professor and James R. Cox Professor of Mathematics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has been named the university’s 2025 Macebearer. The Macebearer designation, UT’s highest faculty honor, recognizes a distinguished career and exemplary service to students, scholarship and society.
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor John Zomchick surprised Lenhart with the announcement during her MATH 585 class in Ayres Hall on March 6. Lenhart said at first she was taken aback by the unexpected visit, but once she realized what was happening she enjoyed having her photo taken with Zomchick, her students and colleagues.
“I love to teach, so it was fun to celebrate with my students,” she said. “I love working at UT, and this award is a special honor that recognizes the areas of teaching, mentoring, research and outreach. The UT community has provided me with a variety of mentors, collaborators and opportunities to succeed in those areas.”
Making an Impact
Lenhart joined UT as an assistant professor in 1981 after earning her Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Kentucky. She became an associate professor in 1987 and a professor in 1992. She was named Chancellor’s Professor in 2011 and James R. Cox Professor in 2016. From 1987 to 2009, she also worked as a part-time researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Lenhart’s research has contributed to drug strategies for HIV treatment and recommendations for updating CPR chest pressure patterns. In addition, her work has been applied to address environmental issues such as black bear population control, fishery maintenance and gypsy moth management. Her research career includes 266 published papers in the areas of differential equations and mathematical biology, and she has been the recipient of numerous significant grants.
In their nomination letter, Kate Jones, divisional dean for natural sciences and mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Robert Hinde, interim executive dean of the college, wrote, “Over her 40-plus year career, Dr. Lenhart’s work has substantially impacted a vast number of individuals. She has enhanced the reputation and academic standing of UT, particularly in the areas of mathematics and collaborative science. More broadly, she has left a huge mark on her research areas of differential equations and mathematical biology.”
Among the highlights of her time at UT, Lenhart mentioned her 12 years of service as associate director for education and outreach of the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS), which she co-founded in 2008.
“Working with Lou Gross and Sergey Gavrilets at NIMBioS was productive and fun, and our work facilitated an amazing amount of research with working groups, postdocs and visitors,” she said. “I enjoyed organizing many outreach activities ranging from sessions with middle school students to teacher workshops.”
Lenhart is a popular instructor who has served as research advisor for dozens of Ph.D. candidates, master’s students and postdoctoral researchers, whom she calls “part of my extended family.” Working with undergraduates is important to her as well. In 1988 she became involved in the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates mathematics program. She later organized the REU program at NIMBioS and directed a similar program in UT’s Department of Mathematics. Through her work with undergraduates in the NSF’s INCLUDES Program and the Alliance of Persons with Disabilities for Inclusion, Networking and Transition Opportunities, she has advocated to broaden participation in STEM fields.
Honors From UT and Beyond
Over the years, Lenhart has received a multitude of awards. She is a four-time recipient of the math department graduate program’s Teacher of the Year award, and the College of Arts and Sciences has recognized her on numerous occasions for outstanding service and research, faculty excellence and diversity leadership. She was the recipient of the Commission on Women’s Woman of Achievement Award in 2000, the Chancellor’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2008, the Notable Woman Award in 2011, the Chancellor’s Outreach Award in 2014 and the Disability Champion Award in 2019.
The Southern Regional Education Board honored Lenhart as 1998 Mentor of the Year for her work on the Compact for Diversity Program. She has been elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, the American Mathematical Society and the Association for Women in Mathematics. She served as president of AWM from 2001 to 2003. In 2024 she was selected to deliver the prestigious Gibbs Lecture at the Joint Mathematical Meeting of the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematics Association of America.
Lenhart will be recognized as the 2025 Macebearer at the Chancellor’s Honors Banquet later in the spring.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Stacy Estep (865-974-8304, sestep3@utk.edu)