MAA Surfaces an AMC Champion
By: Rachel Levy, Deputy Executive Director MAA @mathcirque and Susan Kennedy
Competitions advocate Dr. Nura Turner in 1978 with student Jimmy (now James) Wilson at Lamar University in Beaumont, TX. The Dean of engineering and the head of the mathematics department are between them. Turner was the official guest for the Mathematics Day program and Wilson had won a competition. Photo used with permission of George Berzsenyi who organized the program.
In the American Mathematical Monthly (78), February 1971 pp. 192-195, Nura Turner asked “Why Can’t We have a USA Mathematical Olympiad?” Turner’s persuasive support for competitions programs was instrumental in the US gaining a 1974 invitation from the German Democratic Republic to participate in the International Mathematical Olympiad. Samuel Greitzer and Murray Klamkin served as coaches while Turner managed the behind-the-scenes organization critical to support the team’s participation. Greitzer and Klamkin coached teams until 1981; Turner also stayed involved through the 80’s by supporting the International Mathematics Olympiad and establishing the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO). You can learn more in A Historical Sketch of Olympiads: U.S.A. and International (The College Mathematics Journal, Volume 16, 1985 - Issue 5, pp.330-335), which contains a nice biographical note about Turner’s work in academia, industry, and her contributions to competitions and MAA.
In 1978, Greitzer, Klamkin, and Turner received the MAA Award for Meritorious Service (then called the Certificate of Merit). Later when MAA began recognizing the highest scorer in the USAMO, the award was named the Greitzer Klamkin award.
George Berzsenyi shared with us the picture below and recalls, “She was the mastermind behind the lavish celebration of the winners of the USAMO, but was tireless on the scene too. Andy Liu and myself, being the young ones back then (1976-1988, those were my years on the USAMO Subcommittee), were her 'gophers' both at the Academy of Sciences and at the dinner at the Department of State's Diplomatic Reception Room. I was in my 30s and 40s then.”
As far as we know, no one questioned why Turner, a champion builder of math competitions, was not included until recently when MAA’s Susan Kennedy resurfaced historical information about Tuner and we began to wonder why she was not recognized in the award name. Early in 2020, researching why Turner was not honored in the same way as Greitzer and Klamkin, we could not find much information. We learned about her persistence and strong personality, which likely was necessary to succeed in her field, but was not appreciated by all.
The MAA Board, on learning of this issue, immediately agreed it is time to acknowledge Turner’s role. The new name is the Greitzer Klamkin Turner Award, and we are glad this MAA figure will be recognized for her contributions.