Rate My Professor John A. Shanks

Dr. John A. Shanks is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Otago, part of the Sciences Division. He earned his BSc with Honours from the University of Liverpool, followed by an MSc and a DPhil from the University of Oxford. Shanks joined the University of Otago in 1974, contributing extensively to the department over several decades until his retirement, after which he continued in an honorary capacity. His academic background reflects a strong foundation in mathematics and statistics, with long-term involvement in teaching and educational initiatives.

Shanks' teaching focused on probability theory, including a second-year course at Otago where he applied concepts to real-world scenarios, such as modeling the decision to stop at a red traffic light using probability distributions, expected values, and conditional probabilities. He authored the article 'Probability in Action: the Red Traffic Light,' published in the Journal of Statistics Education in 2007, which demonstrates practical applications of statistical modeling and optimization. Beyond the classroom, Shanks has significantly impacted mathematics education through service roles. He served as Treasurer of the New Zealand Mathematical Society in the mid-1980s and later as membership secretary. As a retired departmental member, he co-organized the Otago Maths Problem Challenge—a national problem-solving competition for Years 6-8 students—for over 35 years alongside John Curran, joining the question-setting panel in 1994 and becoming sole organizer from 2024. This initiative has engaged nearly one million New Zealand children, promoting strategies like pattern recognition and diagramming in line with the national curriculum. Additionally, from 2012 to 2025, Shanks hosted and developed the website and publications for the International Association for Statistical Education (IASE). He contributed to international conferences, serving on the International Programme Committee for ICOTS11 and as Information Manager for ICOTS9. His contact details include DDI +64 3 556 5410.