Uniondale resident is a professor of distinction

Hofstra Math Professor Behailu “Alu” Mammo has won the 2023 Distinguished Teaching Award from the Metropolitan New York Section of the Mathematical Association of America. Math Department Chair Sylvia Silberger and fellow department colleagues informed Mammo six weeks ago, that he would be recommended for the MAA award.

“During his tenure at Hofstra, he has shown himself not only to be one of our most effective teachers, but an excellent teacher of teachers,” she wrote. “It is clear that Alu is indeed very well-liked by his students.”

Mammo is a resident of Uniondale and emigrated from Nazareth, Ethiopia in 2000 to pursue a career as a professor. He received his mathematics doctorate at Temple University in Philadelphia and has served on the Hofstra faculty since 2005, his first job as a professor. Coming from East Africa to America provided a lot of culture shock.

“I would be lying to you if I said the transition was easy,” Mammo said. “It’s a totally different culture given the culture that I was raised in. The language barrier and the way students interact with professors are totally different here from back home. It took me some time to really learn and adjust.”

While Mammo took time to adjust, he said he considers himself a learner and that many colleagues along the way supported him to get to where he is today. He says that he asks himself three questions every day, which guides his teaching approach.

“Am I giving students what they deserve?” he said. “Am I continuously preparing myself so that I can be responsive to all the students? Not only the top-notch but to all students? The third helps me a lot with attitude. How do I interact with the student? I try to really remove myself from assumptions.”

Mammo’s research interests include number theory and mathematics education. He is the director of the Noyce Scholarship & Stipend programs, which are funded by the National Science Foundation and seeks to increase the number of qualified science and math teachers in high-needs school districts. These programs are a partnership between Hofstra’s School of Education, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Nassau Community College, and four local school districts. Since the grant was awarded in 2011, Mammo has mentored 49 Noyce scholars, the majority of whom have gone on to successful careers in education.

“Since his arrival at Hofstra, Dr. Mammo has been recognized as one of our most caring and dedicated teachers,” said Dr. Daniel Seabold, acting dean of Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and former chair of the Department of Mathematics. “Through his work with the Noyce Scholars Program and his management of the departmental tutoring center, Dr. Mammo is looking after the needs of our current undergraduate students and providing practical training for the next generation of math teachers.”

Mammo said he strives to teach his students more than math; he hopes to inspire them to be lifelong learners.

“I am enormously delighted and honored to be the recipient of the MAA Distinguished Teaching Award,” he said. “I dedicate this award to my students who have always seen the best in me since I arrived at Hofstra 18 years ago.”

In 2019-20, Mammo won Hofstra’s Teacher of the Year award for the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics – the first math professor to be recognized with that honor since 1960.

“I would like to thank my Lord who gives me wisdom and strength.” Mammo said about his honors. “My parents and siblings played a key role in cultivating a sense of responsibility in me. I am abundantly thankful for the love and support from my wife, Yene Mekonen, and two boys, Adoni and Natty.”

Mammo has almost 30 years of experience and said that interaction with the students and getting to know them on an individual basis has been his favorite part of the job. He said he is thankful that he has been able to spend his teaching career at Hofstra University and expects to spend the rest of his career at the school.

“The University is highly supportive, and I would not trade the University for anything,” he said. My heartfelt thanks go to all the peer teachers who provided incredible assistance to my students over the years. Teaching is my thing and Hofstra is my thing too. When you see a student inspired, that’s the most rewarding thing and can’t thank Hofstra students enough. They see the best of me all the time.”