By Catherine Paolucci

In July, the mathematical sciences community lost Henry O. Pollak, a distinguished mathematician, an impactful mathematics educator, and a former Mathematical Association of America (MAA) President (1975-1977). A tribute honoring Henry’s career and contributions to MAA will appear in the December/January edition of MAA FOCUS, but this post offers a more personal reflection on my experiences with Henry and some of the ways his pioneering beliefs and advocacy have shaped progress in mathematics education.

It has been more than two decades since my first class with Henry Pollak, but I still remember it clearly.…