Paul Zeitz

Last updated
Paul Zeitz
Education
Awards Deborah and Franklin Haimo Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics
Scientific career
Fields
  • History
  • Mathematics
Institutions University of San Francisco
Thesis Rank-One Actions  (1992)
Academic advisorsJacob Feldman [1]
Website www.usfca.edu/faculty/paul-zeitz

Paul Zeitz,
problem solving
teacher Paul Zeitz.png
Paul Zeitz, problem solving teacher

Paul Andrew Zeitz (born July 5, 1958) is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of San Francisco who works primarily in math enrichment.

Contents

Early life and education

In 1974, Paul Zeitz won the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO) and was a member of the first American team to participate in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). The following year he graduated from Stuyvesant High School. [2]

In 1981, he graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts in History. [3] After graduating he taught high school math for six years in San Francisco and Colorado Springs. He then went to UC Berkeley and obtained a PhD in Mathematics in 1992. [4]

Career

After graduating from UC Berkeley, Zeitz became a professor at the University of San Francisco. [4]

In 2015, Zeitz co-founded "Proof" which is a private school for middle and high school grade levels that is focused on math. Proof teaches that mathematics from a perspective that it is a "joyous art form." [3] [5] He also co-founded the Bay Area Mathematical Olympiad in 1999 and the San Francisco Math Circle in 2005. [4] [6] [7]

Awards and honors

In 2003, Zeitz received from the Mathematical Association of America one of the Deborah and Franklin Haimo Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics. [8]

Zeitz has a lecture series called Art and Craft of Mathematical Problem Solving that he made for The Teaching Company on their platform The Great Courses Plus. [9]

References

  1. "Paul Andrew Zeitz". Mathematics Genealogy Project. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  2. "Professor Teaches Passion for Math". usfca.edu. March 5, 2002. Archived from the original on November 17, 2005. Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  3. 1 2 Baron, Violet. "math-kids-facilitator". Harvard Magazine. No. September-October 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 "The Teacher's Circle, August 14 -18, 2006" (PDF). American Institute of Mathematics. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  5. Mandal, Sayantika. "'Joyous Artform'". University of San Francisco College of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  6. "Our Mountain Math Guides". Math in the Mountains. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  7. "University of San Francisco College of Arts and Sciences". Paul A. Zeitz Faculty Emeritus. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  8. "Recipients of the Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics". Mathematical Association of America . Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  9. "Art and Craft of Mathematical Problem Solving". The Great Courses Plus. Retrieved July 31, 2025.