Mathematician Bociu Receives Faculty Diversity Professional Development Award

February 17, 2020 2-min. read

Lorena Bociu sitting at table with students.

Lorena Bociu, an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics at NC State, is the 2019-20 recipient of the College of Sciences Faculty Diversity Professional Development Award.

(Update: The name of this award has since changed to the “College of Sciences Faculty Diversity External Mentoring Endowment.”)

Bociu received the award for her outstanding contributions to promoting diversity among students and faculty as well as her significant achievements in teaching, research and outreach. Her activities have included serving as Mentor Network Committee Member for the Association for Women in Mathematics; mentoring students from the Women In Science and Engineering program; and serving as a Recruiting Diverse Faculty Committee member at NC State since 2015. Bociu also created the popular “Math Doesn’t Bug Me” outreach program that has been part of the annual NC Museum of Natural Sciences BugFest event since 2012.

Bociu is a previous recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and the National Science Foundation CAREER award, two of the nation’s top honors for early-career scientists. She is also an NC State University Faculty Scholar and received the university’s Equity for Women Award in 2016.

The Faculty Diversity Professional Development Award was created by a private gift to the college to support professional development opportunities for mid- and early-career faculty members from underrepresented groups, as well as any mid- and early-career faculty who have demonstrated a commitment to promoting diversity among students and fellow faculty members.

Bociu received her B.A. in mathematics from Lawrence University in 2002 and her M.S. and Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Virginia in 2004 and 2008, respectively.