[Maths-Education] Death of Bob Burn

[Ernest, Paul]

Dear David and colleagues

I was saddened to hear of the death of Bob Burn

He was a very good mathematician and mathematics educator (as well as a sometime vicar near Cambridge - simultaneous with his teaching at Homerton College)

My first position as a teacher educator - coming from a maths teaching position in a London comprehensive school - was in 1979 filling in for him during a sabbatical year in Canada. During that time he wrote a book "A Pathway into Number Theory". I had the pleasure of teaching using the MS when he returned, during my second year at Homerton College as a temporary lecturer. The course was at Cambridge Tripos Level I. I was always just one week ahead of the students in teaching that Number Theory course. What was unique about the book was that there was no exposition - only a structured series of problems to solve (and footnotes linking them to the history of mathematics). So I had to work hard to solve the problems myself, before working with and helping the students. It was quite a challenge, despite my own MSc in maths. In this problem based approach, Bob was a great innovator. He also treated other topics in this problem solving way.

I think Bob was overwhelmed by being both a vicar and Head of Maths Department at Homerton College, and this was one of his reasons for joining us at Exeter around 1990, as a lecturer. On the basis of his teaching and scholarly contributions Bob was promoted to reader before he retired. In Norway he was promoted to full professor during his 2  years full time at the University of Agde, which he took up after retiring from Exeter. He kept his home in Exeter while dodging back and forth between Norway and Exeter and lived here for the rest of his retirement with his dear wife Isobel.

Bob and Isobel had also spent about 20 years teaching in India, before he took up the post of Head of Department at Homerton College.

Bob had a lifelong fascination with the history of mathematics, and he was well known for his scholarly contributions to this field. He was a very kind and giving teacher, with no airs and graces.

All who knew him will miss his kindness and deep insights.

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I am sorry to have to report the death on 23 February of Dr Bob Burn, formerly Reader in Mathematics Education in the School of Education from 1988 to 1997. Before taking up the post at Exeter, he taught at Homerton College, Cambridge and, for a short time after leaving his Exeter position, at Agder University College, Kristiansand, Norway.


I understand that the funeral will be held at St Stephen's Church in Exeter on Tuesday 12 March at 2.30 pm.

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_________
Paul Ernest
Emeritus Professor, Education, Exeter University, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
Homepage http://socialsciences.exeter.ac.uk/education/research/centres/stem/publications/pmej/ The Philosophy of Mathematics Education Journal. No 42 now out (22 February 2024)

Latest publications

P. Ernest (2023). The Problems of Necessity and Authority in Mathematics and Education<https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10116307>. Journal for Theoretical & Marginal Mathematics Education, Vol. 2, No. 1 (https://www.cppi.me/journal)


Latest YouTube videos

Seminar presented at University of Manila Feb. 2023. The Ethics of Mathematics in Education and Society

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQa6g_4EIPw&t=61s

Paul Ernest in conversation with Andy Blunden<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvzVypbuYRs>  (April 2022) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvzVypbuYRs