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Frances A. Rosamond

Frances Rosamond is a computer scientist and computer/mathematics educator who has contributed significantly in several areas. Rosamond’s research interests focus on optimization and algorithm design in areas such as artificial intelligence and computational social choice within the theoretical framework of Parameterized (Multivariate) Complexity.

Rosamond has received research grants from the Australian Research Council, the New Zealand Ministry of Research, Science and Technology, the National Science Foundation (USA), the Association for Women in Mathematics (USA), the National Security Agency (USA), the Sloan Foundation (USA), Richard Lounsbery Foundation, Victoria University of Wellington (NZ), University of Newcastle (AU), and National University (USA), among others. For her research into women and mathematics, Rosamond received the Mina Shaughnessy Scholars Award from the U.S. Department of Education and the Carnegie Foundation.

Rosamond has been an invited research visitor to many universities and research centres including Dagstuhl, the Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Chennai, LAMSADE at Paris Dauphine, ETH Zurich, the Technion at Haifa, University of London Royal Holloway, East China Normal University, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Hong Kong and others. While researching and giving lectures, she still finds the time to serve as Editor of the Parameterized Complexity Newsletter, the Moderator of the parameterized complexity wiki (www.fpt.wikidot.com), Publicity Chair of the International Symposium on Parameterized and Exact Computation (IPEC), Reviewer for publications and proposals, and organizer of conferences and workshops.

Rosamond’s research in education spans computer games, including methodology for systematically generating game puzzles, utilizing NP-completeness. Rosamond was hired to provide consultation to a computer game development company, which developed an educational game to teach chemistry.

Her research in listening to students began in 1979 at Cornell University, when together with Professor David Henderson she developed the Cornell Mathematics Support Center. The project was initially funded by the Sloan Foundation. The Center is still continuing, almost 35 years later. Also at Cornell University, Rosamond developed a program to assist adult women overcome mathematics anxiety and progress along the “Scheme of Intellectual and Ethical Development” created by Harvard researcher William Perry. Rosamond’s work has been cited by Shelia Tobias.

Rosamond has an influence in promoting the mathematical sciences. Since 1998, Rosamond and her husband Michael Fellows, an author of “Computer Science Unplugged!” and one of the founders of the “Unplugged!” project, have provided workshops on the mathematical foundations of computer science to children and adults in many countries of the world—often in conjunction with research travel (http://. Rosamond orchestrated Sonia Kovalevskia Mathematics Days for girls and their teachers when she was professor of mathematics at National University in San Diego (1986-2000), and was a promoter of the San Diego Science Alliance. She received a University of Newcastle HEEP Equity Award for her investigation into increasing the number of women in computer science.

Rosamond has served on many committees of the Mathematics Association of America (MAA), including the Committee on Mathematics and the Environment, Committee on Under-represented Minorities, Committee on the Teaching of Undergraduate Mathematics (CTUM). She co-chaired the CTUM panel on the role of department chairs and the MAA/AMS Session on the Orientation and Supervision of Part-Time Instructors. She was the representative to the JOINT-AMS-AWM-ASA-IMS-MAA-NCTM-SIAM Committee on Women in the Mathematical Sciences. Together with Sue Geller (Texas A&M) and Patricia Kenschaft (Montclair State University), Frances developed and acted in the MAA Skit Program. Annually at the Joint AMS/MAA Annual Meetings, The Skit Program presented an evening of humorous skits revealing discriminations that had taken place since the previous meeting. The skits were about true events, with identities disguised "to protect the guilty." The evening programs were hugely successful and well attended.