Jamol Pender has been awarded the 2026-2027 Claytor-Gilmer Fellowship by the American Mathematical Society (AMS). Pender, who has been at Cornell since 2015, is an associate professor and director of graduate studies in the School of Operations Research and Information Engineering.
Pender’s research interests include applied probability, queueing theory, and stochastic modeling. His recent work has included information-driven customer behavior, infectious-disease spread in spatial environments, and the use of queueing models to study bail reform.
The Claytor-Gilmer Fellowship was established by the AMS in 2021 to further excellence in mathematics research and to advance the participation and success of Black mathematicians in the research community. The award brings with it $75,000 in prize money and AMS membership for the duration of the fellowship.
“I am deeply honored to receive the 2026–2027 AMS Claytor–Gilmer Fellowship, an award that both recognizes research excellence and affirms the importance of diversity within the mathematical sciences,” Pender said. “This opportunity strengthens my commitment to advancing the field and contributing meaningfully to its broader community. I am profoundly grateful to my collaborators, mentors, and colleagues for their consistent support and inspiration, and I extend my heartfelt thanks to my family, whose encouragement has sustained me throughout my academic journey.”
Pender received his award on Monday, January 5 at the 2026 Joint Mathematics Meetings in Washington, D.C.
The fellowship is named for Dr. William Schieffelin Claytor, the first African American man to publish a research article in a peer-reviewed mathematics journal, and Dr. Gloria Ford Gilmer, the first African American woman to publish a research article in a peer-reviewed mathematics journal.