If applying online creates an undue hardship, please call the National Office at 405-325-0144 to make other arrangements.
All application materials, including recommendation letters, must be submitted online no later than 11:59 pm CT on February 1, 2023.
This award was established in 1981 by a grant from Dr. Robert Kalin of Florida State University, a former president of Mu Alpha Theta. Dr. Kalin was a nationally recognized mathematics educator and was one of Mu Alpha Theta’s strongest supporters. The Mu Alpha Theta Educational Foundation continues to support the Kalin Award.
To be eligible for the award, the nominee must be representative of all student members who excel in mathematics and provide notable service to Mu Alpha Theta. The nominee must be graduating from high school and planning to begin college studies in the year the award is given. Each chapter is allowed to nominate one Mu Alpha Theta member for the award. The sponsor of the chapter will determine how the chapter's nominee is selected, unless the sponsor is related to a possible nominee.
The winner will receive $4,000 and a distinguished plaque. The winner may take the award as a cash prize or have it sent to his/her prospective college as a scholarship. The winner’s school will also receive a $1,000 chapter grant.
When regular, in-person National Conventions are possible, top candidates for the award must attend our national convention in July with their chapter and will be interviewed in person by our Governing Council. Interviewed finalists who do not win the award will each receive a $500 prize.
Jump to recipient by year:
2021 Â 2020 Â 2019 Â 2018 Â 2017 Â 2016 Â 2015 Â 2014 Â 2013 Â 2012 Â 2011 Â 2010
2021 Rubin Award Winner
The Franklinton High School chapter is a highly active chapter that is focused on encouraging an interest in and enjoyment of mathematics. For the past seven years, they've hosted an annual "Pi Day" on campus that encourages interest in mathematics. Each elected officer of the chapter, as part of their job, offers a lecture in the “Math Club Student Lecture Series” that is centered on an interesting math topic not typically taught in the classroom and is equivalent to the Chalk Talks held at the Mu Alpha Theta National Convention. These lectures are open to all students and teachers at their school and has helped build a bridge across departments. Even after COVID-19 shut down their school building in 2020, this chapter continued to meet virtually and hosted weekly guest speakers from a wide variety of mathematics backgrounds and careers.
To benefit their broader Franklinton, NC community, this chapter has partnered with the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at UNC-CH to offer “STEMville Family Science Nights” to all of elementary and middle schools in their district since 2014. This night brings together school and community partners to spread the work of STEM and encourage students to reach out and find their path. This chapter also holds an annual competition for fifth grade students and has plans to do so virtually this year as well. Students from the county’s elementary schools come to the Franklinton High School campus each year to compete in Team and Individual competitions. This chapter has been doing these long enough now that former competitors are joining the school’s Math Club and continuing their interest in mathematics.
2020 Rubin Award Winner
Since its inception eight years ago, Saint Andrew’s Mu Alpha Theta (SAMAO) has grown exponentially from 15 members to over 80. This makes it the largest club, in the school, representing 15% of the upper school students! In addition to inspiring a love of math among its members, SAMAO strongly believes in giving back to the local community. To ensure this, chapter members are required to complete a total of 10 hours of community service each year through various programs such as working with kids at a local children’s development center (such as Florence Fuller or the YMCA) or peer tutoring JK - 12 students at our school. These tutoring projects help both the student and the tutor better learn the material and improve their communication skills as well as build relationships with the students being tutored.