Peter Nicholls

Born and raised in England, Peter completed his undergraduate studies at Imperial College of the University of London and his doctoral work at Cambridge University. Both of his degrees are in the field of Pure Mathematics. Peter and his wife Trudy emigrated to the U.S. in the fall of 1971 to join the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Northern Illinois University. Thus began a twenty year association with NIU during which Peter rose through the ranks to full professor and spent four years as associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Peter taught a wide variety of courses in mathematics, from college algebra through the graduate curriculum in complex analysis. At the undergraduate level he was heavily involved with the CHANCE Program, assisting disadvantaged students in their transition to college, he also designed and taught the undergraduate course in mathematical modeling. At the graduate level, he served for three years as the director of graduate studies in the department, taught the analysis courses in the curriculum and directed the dissertation of the department’s second Ph.D. student. Peter was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and a recipient of the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award.

As associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (1987-1991), Peter managed the college budget and had responsibility for faculty hiring and remuneration programs. He chaired the College Curriculum Committee and assisted with the writing of the physics Ph.D. degree proposal.

Peter left NIU in 1991 to become dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Kansas State University and went on to appointments as provost at Colorado State University (3 years) and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Connecticut (8 years).

As a first generation college student and as a professor and administrator, Peter appreciates the life changing impact of graduate studies. Through this scholarship, he wishes to encourage and support these studies. But equally important, Peter wishes to support the department and university that has been such a powerful influence in his life.