Kenneth O. Bjork Distinguished Professor
Established in 2006 by the Board of Regents, this chair recognizes Kenneth O. Bjork who taught history at St. Olaf from 1937 until 1974 and who served as editor for the Norwegian American Historical Society (NAHA) from 1960 to 1980. Dr. Bjork is the author of Saga in Steel and Concrete; Norwegian Engineers in America and West of the Great Divide: Norwegian Migration to the Pacific Coast, 1847-1893. Dr. Bjork is one of several long-time servants of the College whom the Board has chosen to recognize for distinguished teaching, professional work, and service to the college and community.
Martha Wallace '75, the first holder of this chair, directs the mathematics education program at St. Olaf where she teaches both mathematics and education. Active in both state and national professional organizations, she recently completed a two-year term as president of the Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics. At St. Olaf she imagined, developed and sustained a pioneering "Visiting Master Teacher" (VMT) program that brought experienced school teachers into the St. Olaf mathematics department to teach college mathematics courses, to update knowledge and skills in new areas, and to help St. Olaf mathematicians learn about policy and pedagogy in K-12 education.
