Johannes H. Hattingh
Department Chair
Johannes Hendrik Hattingh is a mathematician and academic leader whose career spans over three decades across South Africa and the United States. He earned his B.Sc., B.Sc. Honours, M.Sc., and Ph.D. in Mathematics, all cum laude, from the University of Johannesburg, later adding an Honors in Computer Science from the University of Johannesburg and a certificate in Business Analytics from East Carolina University.
Hattingh began his teaching career at the Universities of Pretoria and Johannesburg before moving to the United States, where he held faculty positions at Clemson University and Georgia State University. At Georgia State, he rose from Assistant Professor to Professor and Chair, playing a pivotal role in developing the Ph.D. program in Mathematics. In 2010, he joined East Carolina University as Professor and Chair, also serving as Director of the North Carolina Early Mathematics Placement Test (NCEMPT). Since 2020, he has been Professor and Chair of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
His administrative contributions include leading curriculum redesigns and advancing math pathways initiatives. Hattingh has supervised numerous graduate students, served as external examiner internationally, and reviewed tenure and promotion cases across multiple institutions.
A prolific researcher, Hattingh has published extensively in graph theory, combinatorics, and domination parameters, collaborating with leading mathematicians including Paul Erdős. His work has advanced understanding of Ramsey numbers, domination theory, and algorithmic complexity.
Education
B.Sc. in Mathematical Sciences, University of Johannesburg
B.Sc. Honours in Mathematics, University of Johannesburg
M.Sc. in Mathematics, University of Johannesburg
Ph.D. in Mathematics, University of Johannesburg
B.Sc. Honours in Computer Science, University of Johannesburg
Certificate in Business Analytics, East Carolina University
Research Interests
Hattingh’s research focuses primarily on graph theory and combinatorics, with particular emphasis on domination parameters, Ramsey theory, and algorithmic complexity. His work explores variations of domination in graphs—including restrained, signed, minus, and total domination—and their structural and computational properties. He has contributed extensively to the study of Ramsey numbers, irredundant and mixed Ramsey theory, and labeling problems such as $L(d,1)$-colorings.
Professional Service
Hattingh has made significant professional service contributions through leadership, program development, and international engagement. He co-organized major conferences such as the 41st Annual Conference of the South African Mathematical Society in 1998 and the 16th Cumberland Conference on Combinatorics, Graph Theory, and Computing in 2003. He served as Department Chair at Georgia State University, East Carolina University, and currently at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, guiding curriculum redesigns and advancing graduate programs. At ECU, he directed the North Carolina Early Mathematics Placement Program and played a central role in Math Pathways initiatives to improve student success in gateway mathematics courses. His service also extended to the UNC System Math Pathways Task Force, where he contributed to statewide policy recommendations. Internationally, Hattingh has acted as an external reviewer for tenure and promotion cases at institutions in the United States, South Africa, Malaysia, and Zimbabwe.