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Mathematical Sciences Professor , Ph.D., in the College of Arts and Sciences at ����ɫ��ҹ University, has been named the inaugural recipient of the Kenneth B. Cummins Endowed Professorship in Mathematics, a role created to advance the teaching and learning of mathematics and strengthen ties between the university and K–12 schools.

The appointment honors both her contributions to mathematics and her deep commitment to teachers, students and schools across Northeast Ohio. The professorship also brings new life to the legacy of the late Kenneth B. Cummins, a ����ɫ��ҹ faculty member who spent decades shaping mathematics education in Ohio and across the nation.

For Soprunova, the honor carries meaning on multiple levels.

“It feels humbling,” she said. “I am the first endowed professor in our department, and I have many colleagues who are incredibly accomplished. I am thankful for this opportunity and hope to honor Dr. Cummins’ dedication to teaching and to the community.”

A Legacy Rooted in Teaching and Service
The Cummins Endowed Professorship was established by Dr. Kenneth B. Cummins, who taught in the ����ɫ��ҹ Department of Mathematical Sciences for 40 years beginning in 1957. Cummins earned national recognition for his innovative approach to mathematics instruction, his dedication to high school teacher training and the energy he poured into professional development opportunities for educators at all levels.

During his tenure, he received more than 30 National Science Foundation grants to host summer and academic-year institutes for high school math teachers—programs that reached more than 1,000 educators. His textbook, The Teaching of Mathematics from Counting to Calculus, co-authored in 1970, became a foundational guide for teachers across Ohio and beyond. Cummins also served in leadership roles with the Ohio Council of Teachers of Mathematics and presented at professional meetings well into the final year of his life.

His endowment was established with a clear intention: to support a faculty member whose work strengthens mathematics education and fosters the joy of learning that Cummins believed every student could experience.

Finding the Right Fit
For years, the professorship sat unused—not for lack of qualified faculty, but because no active faculty member’s research formally centered on mathematics education, a core focus of Cummins’ career. That changed when department leaders recognized that Soprunova’s broad portfolio of teaching, outreach and school engagement aligned with the spirit of the endowment.

“Our current chairperson approached me because, although my research is not in math education, a big part of my work involves supporting teachers and building connections with schools,” Soprunova said.

Soprunova coordinates the master’s program for high school teachers, runs Math Day, does school visits, and spends a lot of time working with teachers. The Mathematical Sciences Chairperson Nathan Ritchey, Ph.D., felt that this aligned with Dr. Cummins’ original intent.

“Dr. Soprunova’s selection reflects both her scholarly accomplishments and her commitment to strengthening math education across the region,” Ritchey said.

Support for Research and Community Impact
The endowed professorship provides a stipend and dedicated research funding each year. This support enhances Soprunova’s work in mathematics while also enriching the department’s outreach efforts.

The endowment also provides resources that can be used to award small grants to KSU math faculty working on mathematics education projects and to support outreach activities Soprunova organizes for local high school students, such as Math Day.

A Career Shaped by Passion for Math—and Teachers
Soprunova’s path to mathematics reflects a lifelong immersion in the discipline. Growing up in a family of mathematicians and scientists, she attended a math-focused high school and later earned her doctorate in Mathematics from the University of Toronto (2002) before joining ����ɫ��ҹ in Fall 2007.

“In some sense, I didn’t really choose mathematics, it was the world I grew up in and the only career option I truly knew,” Soprunova said. “But it turned out to be a very good fit. I always loved working on math problems, and later it turned out that I really enjoy teaching as well.”

At ����ɫ��ҹ, she has found an environment that fosters intellectual freedom and a community that values collaboration.

“I really appreciate that at ����ɫ��ҹ I have the opportunity to work on the problems I find beautiful and interesting,” Soprunova said. “Having that freedom and colleagues who are supportive even if our research areas don’t overlap means a lot to me.”

Her work now spans teaching, research, school outreach, program coordination and mentoring. She works in computational and discrete geometry, focusing on geometric invariants of lattice polytopes and their applications to algebraic geometry and coding theory. She oversees the master’s program for high school teachers, directs the department’s Choose Ohio First program, leads a new Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) grant, and serves as the department’s recruitment coordinator, helping local students discover opportunities in mathematics at ����ɫ��ҹ. This current REU grant is the fourth (3-year grant) that she has secured while serving as the principal investigator for 9 years.

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Media Contact: 
Jim Maxwell, JMAXWEL2@kent.edu, 330-672-8028