Robert Sachs Retirement: A legacy of innovative mathematical pedagogy
This December, Professor Robert Sachs of the Department of Mathematical Sciences received the Dean’s Career Achievement Recognition in honor of his extraordinary contributions to George Mason University and the broader academic community. A distinguished educator, researcher, and mentor, Sachs will retire this year, leaving behind a legacy of innovation, leadership, and impact.
“Bob has been spearheading pedagogical innovation at Mason for decades,” said Department Chair Maria Emelianenko.
Early at Mason, he helped develop the Computational Science Institute, later a school which became part of the College of Science. This included a doctoral program, one of the first among the sciences. He served as chair of the Department of Mathematical Sciences for eight years, during which the mathematics doctoral program was created. He led a major reform of general education and was on a presidential committee that helped the proposal of a significant addition to the library. Another curricular advancement he helped in was the Honors Program, now the Honors College. He was part of the major effort to redesign what is now Exploratory Hall, including a major addition. The Governors’ School at Prince William and the IT program in engineering were additional educational development efforts. From his early involvement in student computer use to the creation of what is now the Stearns Center to George Mason’s first active learning classroom to recent interdisciplinary work with NSF funding on active learning in STEM, Sachs has consistently championed forward-thinking approaches to teaching and learning.
Sachs helped reimagine classroom learning, making it more interactive and student-centered. A long collaboration with Fairfax County Schools included coordinating dual enrollment for post AP mathematics involving thousands of high school students and a stint teaching at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in their most advanced mathematics courses. He served as chair of the national Mathematical Association of America (MMA) special interest group in teaching advanced high school mathematics and locally on the Board of the NVCTM and the Executive Committee of the DC-MD-VA Section of the MAA. He received George Mason’s David King Award and the MAA Section’s John Smith Teaching Award in recognition of this work. His latest work includes an innovative approach to undergraduate students’ mathematical development in Math 300 and a related textbook soon to be published.
Central to Sachs’s work has been a deep commitment to accessibility and student engagement, with a strong emphasis on deepening mathematical understanding. His advocacy for inquiry-based and hands-on learning has helped reduce gender and socio-economic disparities in math education. Whether mentoring graduate teaching assistants, guiding peer instructors, or collaborating with colleagues across disciplines, Sachs has exemplified collaborative leadership and a steadfast dedication to student success. His impact also reached into the community through his longstanding leadership of the Fairfax Math Circle, which brought young, mathematically curious students to campus. This outreach initiative fostered a love for mathematics and encouraged deeper learning at an early age.
“I am grateful to George Mason for having given me many opportunities to collaborate with wonderful colleagues and for supporting educational experimentation on behalf of students. It has been gratifying and challenging to be part of many changes. Most satisfying to me is to see the successes of colleagues here at Mason and elsewhere. I am proud to have had a role in building the Department of Mathematical Sciences and the College of Science and George Mason more broadly.”
From innovative teaching methods to shaping national conversations in STEM education, Sachs has helped position George Mason as a leader in responsive pedagogy.
