Grace

Neville Grace receiving his BH Neumann Award from Professor Neumann at a function at the Quay West Hotel, Brisbane, Wednesday 2 October 1996.

Neville with his family (Marie third from left) after the presentation.

Citation

Neville is well known within the Australian Mathematics Trust, having been State Director of the AMC for Queensland for about 11 years. But he also has a strong background in the teaching of mathematics on a state, national and more recently international basis.

He had an unusual beginning for a mathematician, having originally been self-employed in the Hotel business for over 10 years up to 1970. He then graduated with a B Ec at the University of Queensland, with a mathematics component and then a Dip Ed (Economics and mathematics at the same university.

From then Neville was a teacher at Richlands State High School and since 1980 he has been the Senior Education Officer (Maths) in the Queensland Department of Education. Since then he also completed a M Ed St at the University of Queensland, specialising in mathematical education.

He has written during that time teacher resource books covering the whole range of year levels through primary and secondary schools and was the Queensland project officer involved in the trial and provision of advice to writers of the national mathematics statement and profile for mathematics.

Neville was also joint author, with Kevin Olssen of Adelaide and others, of a support book "Using the National Mathematics Profile" for the Curriculum corporation. He was also Project Officer responsible for the development and trial of Queensland "Student Performance Standards" (based on the national profile) and for a suite of projects to develop and produce a professional kit and variety of support materials for teachers across Years 4 to 8.

In the professional societies, Neville has been most active. He was President for one term of QAMT, on its executive for ten years, Business Manager of "Australian Mathematics Teacher" and since 1988 member of the editorial panel for the QAMT journal "Teaching Mathematics".

Recently, Neville has awarded the high honour of Life membership of QAMT to match his award from the Trust.

Most recently Neville has been an international consultant, with six visits to Tonga with the Australian Aid funded Tonga Education Project and he is about to start with the PROBE project in Manila.

To go with this we must point out that Neville has a great sense of humour and is most approachable and helpful when working with his colleagues.

This is an outstanding record of public service to mathematics education and our congratulations go to Neville for this appropriate recognition.

Peter Taylor

02 October 1996