Evelyn Silvia was a Professor in the Mathematics Department for 33 years. Her area of research was complex analysis, particularly geometric function theory. She was renowned for her dedication to improving mathematics education at all levels, and received countless distinguished teaching awards, including the Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished University Teaching of Mathematics — the highest award in university mathematics teaching. On January 21st, 2006 she passed away after fighting ovarian cancer.
She received her M.A. in Mathematics in 1971, and PhD. in 1973 from Clark University and joined the UC Davis faculty in 1973.
Silvia spearheaded the creation of the Master of Arts in Teaching program here at UC Davis, a graduate program focusing on training future mathematics teachers. She was co-director of this Socratic method program from 1973 to 1979. She created coursework in complex analysis and introductory abstract mathematics and worked to improve the department's calculus program as the co-director of the Calculus Revitalization Project.
Her very helpful and extensive Companion Notes: A Working Excursion to Accompany Baby Rudin is widely available on the internet.
