Frank Jones set foot on Rice University’s campus in 1955, arriving as a sophomore transfer student in chemical engineering. Nearly 70 years later, more than 200 faculty members, friends and former students gathered at the Faculty Club April 7 to celebrate his legacy — and his upcoming retirement.
Jones has devoted nearly his entire adult life to Rice: as an undergraduate, graduate student, professor and mentor. Now, the Noah Harding Professor of Mathematics is preparing to retire at the end of the school year, leaving behind a legacy of teaching excellence and guidance that has shaped generations of Owls.
“On behalf of the entire university, thank you for your brilliance, dedication and enduring love for Rice,” President Reginald DesRoches said at the event. “You’ve helped shape what this institution is today, and we are forever grateful. Congratulations on your retirement and, more importantly, on a remarkable life of purpose and impact.”
Jones earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from what was then the Rice Institute and completed his doctorate in mathematics at Rice in 1961. He returned as a faculty member the following year and quickly earned a reputation for rigor in the classroom and generosity outside it.
“It is difficult, if not impossible, to calculate the impact he has had on students during his 60-plus years as a member of the Rice faculty,” Provost Amy Dittmar told the crowd. “His long tenure here speaks to not only his appreciation for Rice but also the respect his students and colleagues have for him.”
Over those six decades, Jones became a cornerstone of the university’s mathematics department. His teaching career stands as both an inspiration and a testament to his lasting impact, said , dean of the Wiess School of Natural Sciences.
“Frank, on behalf of your students and the School of Natural Sciences, thank you,” Killian said. “Your dedication to teaching is an inspiration to us all.”
Although Jones built a distinguished academic career specializing in partial differential equations, complex analysis and honors-level calculus, mathematics wasn’t his original plan. He said his path changed course thanks to the influence of former Rice mathematics professor Jim Douglas Jr.
“I’d planned to go to a different university for graduate school to study physical chemistry, but Jim told me, ‘No, you’re coming to Rice to be a math student, and I’m going to be your adviser,’” Jones told Rice News. “He changed my life.”
Jones received numerous accolades during his tenure at Rice, including six George R. Brown Awards for Superior Teaching (1968, 1972, 1973, 1978, 1985, 1990) and two George R. Brown Prizes for Excellence in Teaching, Rice’s highest teaching honor (1980, 1991). Based on votes from recent alumni, the Brown Awards and Prizes reflect deep student appreciation. Jones was so consistently recognized for his excellence that he was retired from consideration for the honors, a distinction shared by only a dozen faculty members.
Jones also received the Texas Professor of the Year Award from the Carnegie Foundation (2007), the Association of Rice Alumni Meritorious Service Award (2023), the Nicolas Salgo Distinguished Teacher Award (1977, 1994) and numerous other honors from student organizations and national mathematics societies.
Still, what Jones says he has valued most is watching students discover the beauty of mathematics and gain confidence in their abilities. He made it a priority to pass along his enthusiasm for the field. “When I see a student with potential, I encourage them to be a math major, just like Jim Douglas did for me,” he said.
Even with his packed academic life, Jones carved out time for community and camaraderie. He played weekly intramural racquetball matches at the Rice Recreation Center, including with longtime faculty members Dennis Huston, Allen Matusow and Deborah Harter. He also taught Bible classes at Bethel Church of Houston, a commitment he plans to continue into retirement.
Jones’ legacy at Rice continues through his family, spanning three generations. His son, David Jones, graduated in 1990, and his grandson, Andrei Jones, will begin as a freshman in the fall.