Adrian C. Rice

Adrian C. Rice is Professor of Mathematics and current Chair of the Department of Mathematics at Randolph-Macon College, holding the Dorothy and Muscoe Garnett Professorship. He joined the institution in 1999 as an assistant professor, earned tenure in 2005, and achieved full professorship in 2010. Previously, he held visiting positions at the University of Virginia (1998-99) and University of Oxford (2014-15).

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Mathematics, Middlesex University (1997)
• MSc in History & Philosophy of Science and Mathematics, King's College London (1993)
• BS in Mathematics, University College London (1992)

Professor Rice specializes in the history of 19th-century mathematics with particular focus on British mathematicians. His research examines conceptual developments in algebra, calculus, and numeracy through biographical studies of figures like Augustus De Morgan, Ada Lovelace, and James Joseph Sylvester. He actively bridges historical scholarship with contemporary mathematics education, creating classroom resources based on historical problems and analyzing mathematical eponymy.

His 13 recent publications (2019-2024) reveal consistent emphasis on historical analysis of mathematical concepts, with growing attention to gender studies in mathematics through Ada Lovelace research. The work demonstrates interdisciplinary connections between mathematical history, education theory, and social contexts of 19th-century science.

Award highlights include:

• Paul R. Halmos – Lester R. Ford Award (2019, 2025)
• Catherine Richards Prize (2021, 2025)
• George Pólya Award (2022)
• Corresponding membership, International Academy of the History of Science (2019)

As department chair and frequent course developer, Professor Rice mentors undergraduate researchers through independent studies while teaching diverse courses from Introductory Logic to History of Mathematics. His collaborative projects with international scholars advance historical scholarship through editorial work and cross-institutional research initiatives.