The Arthur Beaumont Distinguished Service Award

The Arthur Beaumont Distinguished Service Award was initiated first and foremost as a means to honour Arthur for his years of unselfish service to CAIMS/SCMAI. The award will consist of a commemorative plaque that will be presented at the CAIMS*SCMAI Annual Meeting. A travel allowance will be provided.

Arthur was a founding member of CAIMS/SCMAI and acted as its Secretary/Treasurer for eight years. It is no exaggeration to say that the Society would not exist today but for Arthur's efforts. In future this award will honour those members of CAIMS/SCMAI who have, through their efforts on behalf of the Society, come closest to exhibiting those traits which Arthur embodies.

Professor Arthur Beaumont joined the Department of Mathematics at the University of Waterloo in 1960. Prior to that he had lectured at several Universities.

In 1963, Dr. R. G. Stanton introduced Co-operative Mathematics Programs in Computer Science and Actuarial Science and laid the foundations for a Faculty of Mathematics before leaving Waterloo in 1966. The Faculty of Mathematics formally came into being in 1967 with Dr. David Sprott as Dean and Professor Beaumont as Associate Dean. Professor Beaumont remained as Associate Dean until 1975. In 1976 he was elected Chairman of the Department of Applied Mathematics and remained as Chairman until 1982.

During this period, 1967-1982, he was actively involved in the development of seven additional co-operative programs within the Faculty. Two of these, The Chartered Accountancy and the Business Administration programs each attracted large numbers of students. The Faculty of Mathematics by this time, was graduating between 600 and 700 Bachelor of Mathematics degrees each year.

To handle the associated marketing problems Professor Beaumont was instrumental in the establishment, in 1974, of the Mathematics Strategy Board, an Advisory Council of senior officials from business, government and industry.

These activities automatically led to an active interest in the applications of the various branches of mathematics in Commerce and Industry, and it became evident that there existed a large demand for graduates with competence in the Mathematical Sciences. Arthur was Director of the Mathematics/Commerce Group from 1979 to 1982 at which time this Group became the Division of Mathematics for Industry and Commerce.

In 1982 the University of Waterloo celebrated its 25th Anniversary. Professor Beaumont was one of a number of University Faculty members to receive a silver medal "for outstanding contributions to the University of Waterloo".