Cummings Professor of Mathematics Patti Lock, at SLU for 25 years, keeps her passion for teaching. "Mathematics education is my passion; my interest in graph theory [her principal area of research] takes a back seat to my work in teaching," Lock says. The co-author and project director of the top-selling pre-calculus book and the second-most popular calculus text in the nation, Lock says that she's learned from the books as well. "These books have changed the way calculus is taught. Working on texts while teaching the classes for which they are written keeps my life interesting. I'm always asking myself: ‘How can I teach this better?'," she says. "I always enjoy the challenge of helping my students understand and appreciate mathematics."

Active in a number of campus committees and projects, especially as 2005-2006 chair of Faculty Council, one arm of the University’s governance system, Lock’s enthusiasm is highest for the students at St. Lawrence. "I love the students at St. Lawrence," she says. "They're smart, but not in a competitive way. They cooperate and push professors to go deeper into subjects so that they understand why."

In 1994, Lock received the J. Calvin Keene Award, given annually to a faculty member "in recognition of high standards of personal scholarship, effective teaching and moral concern." She has also been a representative to the Board of Trustees. Lock is a graduate of Colgate University, with a master's degree and Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.