Inducted
1999
Degrees
- B.S. Chemical Engineering, West Virginia University, 1960
- M.S. Mathematics, West Virginia University, 1961
- Ph.D. Mathematics, Ohio State University, 1968
George R. Stibitz Distinguished Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science, Denison University —Granville, Ohio
Don Bonar was born in Murraysville on July 7, 1938, the son of Nelson Edward Bonar II and Ada Polk Bonar. He graduated from Ravenswood High School and was awarded a four-year Board of Governors Scholarship to West Virginia University, where he received the BS in chemical engineering in 1960. While at WVU, he was a member of the physics, chemistry and chemical engineering honoraries, and served as president of Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honorary. Two National Science Foundation Fellowships supported his graduate work in mathematics, and he received the MS from WVU in 1961 and the PhD from Ohio State University in 1968.
In 1965, Bonar joined the faculty of Denison University, where he has been teaching mathematics, statistics and computer science. Awards received include the Richard King Mellon Foundation Award for excellence in teaching and scholarship in 1973 and the Sears-Roebuck Teaching Excellence and Community Leadership Award in 1991. He was the first holder of the George R. Stibitz Distinguished Professorship in Mathematics and Computer Science in 1995. He is the author of a book, "On Annular Functions," and a co-author on several research papers. He has published joint work with the internationally acclaimed Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdos.
Community service includes membership on the Granville Foundation, the Granville Development Commission, the Licking County Joint Vocational School Board and serving as president of the Granville Exempted Village School Board.
Bonar is married to Martha Baker, and they are the parents of Mary Martha, who is a student at Denison University. Forever Mountaineers, the Bonars enjoy time at their farm, family owned since 1869, in Murraysville.