Alan R. Elcrat Memorial Fellowship
The Alan R. Elcrat "Attack the Blackboard" Memorial Fellowship fund has been established with contributions to the Wichita State University Foundation. These contributions and all subsequent additions to the fund shall be administered in accordance with the Donor’s instructions as set forth in these Guidelines for Administration and the policies and procedures approved and adopted by the Board of Directors of the Wichita State University Foundation.
Alan Elcrat was a memorable person and an influential mathematician. He described his own career as that of an academic mathematician working on theoretical questions, but he was also a gifted teacher and a dedicated Ph.D. advisor. His work focused on partial differential equations and fluid mechanics. Towards the end of his career his research was centered on theoretical and computational work for inviscid flows, computation of conformal maps, and capillary surfaces. Dr. Elcrat published 75 peer-reviewed papers, wrote two textbooks and collaborated with colleagues around the world. All the while, he continued to teach a full spectrum of undergraduate and graduate level courses in applied mathematics and analysis. During his tenure at Wichita State he helped to build the applied mathematics program, which eventually led to the Ph.D. program. He made an impact on undergraduate and graduate students, Ph.D. students, and in the field of mathematics worldwide.
Alan was intense and passionate. He had abundant energy and interest in new things throughout his entire life. He was a runner, a screener for the Tallgrass Film Festival, and an avid home-brewer. He enjoyed hiking, skiing, and traveling the world and for over forty years he was devoted to the study of Tae Kwon Do. Alan’s daughters have chosen to honor his work and his legacy by creating this fellowship to help support students with the talent and passion to continue the advancement of the field mathematics.
All fellowship support distributed from this fund will be applied to the purpose described below excepting any unforeseen future circumstances that result in a determination by the Foundation Board of Directors that the original purpose no longer best serves the interests of Wichita State University. Every effort will be made by the Foundation to contact the Donor or his/her designated representative(s) before any changes are made to these guidelines.
1. One (1) fellowship will be awarded annually to a graduate student enrolled full time at Wichita State University in the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Mathematics Department.
2. No recipient will be excluded from consideration on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, status as a veteran, genetic information or disability.
3. Donor requests that $5,000 be awarded annually and split equally between the fall and spring semester.
4. At the request of the donor, preference will be given to a female graduate student seeking a Ph.D.
5. The candidate should be a voracious learner that is passionate about the study of mathematics and possesses the perseverance and drive it takes to be a leader in the field.
6.Donor would like to be notified of the recipient each year.
7. Donor requests that if there is no candidate meeting the donor criteria, the funding committee will contact the donor for exceptions.
8. The Scholarship Office of Wichita State University will administer the fellowship and make the award based on the recommendation submitted by the Mathematics Department.
9. The fellowship will not be renewed.
For more information on the fellowship please read e-horizon from April 2014. Donations may be made to the Dr. Alan R. Elcrat Memorial for WSU Mathematics Department care of the Wichita State University Foundation, 1845 Fairmount St., Wichita, KS 67260.