DOCSLIB.ORG

A History of Mathematics at Cambridge from the Early Days to the Present

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A History of Mathematics at Cambridge from the Early Days to the Present A History of Mathematics at Cambridge from the early days to the present The University of Cambridge has taught and hosted some of the most influential mathematicians throughout history. An extraordinary number of pioneering thinkers from Cambridge have produced work that continues to influence mathematical research and many other areas of human endeavour, and many of our current mathematicians continue in this tradition. These include: James Maxwell (1831–1879) Robert Recorde (c.1512-1558) Mathematician who carried out Welsh physician and mathematician revolutionary work on electricity and credited with inventing the equals magnetism and on the kinetic theory of (=) sign. gases. Formulated ‘Maxwell’s Equations’, a major breakthrough in the field of electrodynamics. Isaac Newton (1643-1727) Lord Rayleigh (1842-1919) Mathematician and physicist who Physicist who co-discovered Argon, continues to be recognised as one of for which he won the Nobel Prize the most influential scientists of all time. for physics in 1904, and discovered a Formulated the laws of motion and phenomenon now named Rayleigh made significant contributions to optics. scattering, which explains why the sky is blue. Brook Taylor (1685-1731) Discovered what came to be known Philippa Fawcett (1868-1948) as Taylor’s Theorem and the Taylor Mathematician and educationalist who Series, which approximates any n-times conducted research in fluid dynamics. differentiable function by a nth-order In 1890 she became the first woman to obtain the highest score in the polynomial. Mathematical Tripos exams. She was the daughter of suffragist Millicent Fawcett. Charles Babbage (1791-1871) Created the ‘difference engine’ to Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) perform mathematical calculations, With A. N. Whitehead he wrote and later the ‘analytical engine’, which Principia Mathematica, an attempt provided the foundations for many of to create a logical foundation for the fundamental ideas behind today’s mathematics, and one of the most computers. He famously worked with famous texts ever written on the Ada Lovelace, the first programmer. foundations of mathematics. As well as a mathematician, he was a philosopher, George Green (1793-1841) historian and political activist. Developed the famous Green’s Theorem, relating line integrals to Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920) double integrals over a region. A self- A self-taught Indian mathematician, he taught mathematician, he was the made extraordinary contributions to son of a baker and worked as a miller many areas of pure mathematics, in spite until he became an undergraduate at of having almost no formal education. Cambridge at the age of 40. Among his many discoveries are the Lord Kelvin (1824-1907) Ramanujan prime and the Ramanujan Mathematical physicist and engineer theta function. whose triumphs included the first Mary Cartwright (1900-1998) practical trans-Atlantic cable, a First female mathematician to be tidal prediction machine and the elected to the Royal Society. With J.E. standard marine compass. His Littlewood she was the first to analyse a pioneering thermodynamics work dynamical system with chaos. is commemorated in the absolte temperature scale of degreed Kelvin. www.maths.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate-admissions Paul Dirac (1902-1984) Steven Hawking (1942-2018) Creator of the complete theoretical One of the most well-known present-day formulation of quantum mechanics. mathematicians, his work focused mainly Among his many achievements was on cosmology. He predicted that black the prediction of the positron. His holes emit radiation and proposed a contributions to quantum mechanics theory that could unify general relativity won him the Nobel prize in Physics. and quantum mechanics. He published many popular science books, including ‘A Brief History of Time’. Alan Turing (1912-1954) Mathematician, wartime code-breaker, Anne Davis (1951- ) and computer science pioneer. Works in the field of theoretical and Reformulated Gödel’s results on particularly modified gravity theory. decidability, creating what is now She has been one of the leading known as Turing Machines, which are proponents of the chameleon particle capable of simulating the logic of any theory that potentially accounts for the computer algorithm. observed acceleration of the universe which presents a major cosmological puzzle. Abdus Salam (1926-1996) Pioneered the mathematics behind David Spiegelhalter (1953- ) the first Grand Unified Theory of Statistician and Winton Professor of physics, using Lie Algebras. In 1979 the Public Understanding of Risk. His he won the Nobel prize in physics for research includes the Bayesian his contribution to the electroweak approach to clinical trials and unification. Many of his theories have epidemiology. His blog, ‘Understanding been proven by experiments conducted Uncertainty’, explains statistics to a in the Large Hadron Collider. general audience James Lighthill (1924-1998) His pioneering work in fluid dynamics Frances Kirwan (1959- ) and noise reduction was used in the Her work in algebraic and symplectic design of Concorde. He founded geometry has earned her the Senior Whitehead Prize, and has advanced nonlinear acoustics, and showed the understanding of the structure of that the same nonlinear equations geometric objects by investigating could model waves in rivers and road their algebraic and topological traffic flow. He also helped develop properties. She was the second communication satellites, and applied youngest President of the London fluid mechanics to understanding blood Mathematical Society. flow and breathing. James Ezeilo (1930-2013) Tim Gowers (1963- ) Often referred to as the father of His early work on Banach spaces mathematics in Nigeria, his work earned him the Junior Whitehead included pioneering use of Leray- Prize. He specialises in combinatorics Schauder degree theory. As a PhD and combinatorial number theory, student of Mary Cartwright in among other fields, and was Cambridge he advanced the theory of awarded the Fields Medal for his non-linear differential equations of the many mathematical achievements. third order. Pioneered internet-based “massively collaborative mathematics”. Come and join one of the best Mathematics Faculties in the world. Some of the new Cambridge mathematicians of today will shape the future of mathematical research and use mathematical theories and equations to advance fields as diverse as medical diagnostics, cryptography and internet security, the behaviour of avalanches, epidemiology, the prediction of financial markets, climate change, linguistics, art restoration, communication networks, from the nervous system to the internet, and many more. Be one of them! www.maths.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate-admissions.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A MATHEMATICIAN's SURVIVAL GUIDE 1. an Algebra Teacher I
    A MATHEMATICIAN’S SURVIVAL GUIDE PETER G. CASAZZA 1. An Algebra Teacher I could Understand Emmy award-winning journalist and bestselling author Cokie Roberts once said: As long as algebra is taught in school, there will be prayer in school. 1.1. An Object of Pride. Mathematician’s relationship with the general public most closely resembles “bipolar” disorder - at the same time they admire us and hate us. Almost everyone has had at least one bad experience with mathematics during some part of their education. Get into any taxi and tell the driver you are a mathematician and the response is predictable. First, there is silence while the driver relives his greatest nightmare - taking algebra. Next, you will hear the immortal words: “I was never any good at mathematics.” My response is: “I was never any good at being a taxi driver so I went into mathematics.” You can learn a lot from taxi drivers if you just don’t tell them you are a mathematician. Why get started on the wrong foot? The mathematician David Mumford put it: “I am accustomed, as a professional mathematician, to living in a sort of vacuum, surrounded by people who declare with an odd sort of pride that they are mathematically illiterate.” 1.2. A Balancing Act. The other most common response we get from the public is: “I can’t even balance my checkbook.” This reflects the fact that the public thinks that mathematics is basically just adding numbers. They have no idea what we really do. Because of the textbooks they studied, they think that all needed mathematics has already been discovered.
    [Show full text]
  • Millicent Fawcett from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
    Millicent Fawcett From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett, GBE (11 June 1847 – 5 August 1929) was an English feminist, intellectual, political and union leader, and writer. She is primarily known for her work as a campaigner for women to have Millicent Fawcett the vote. GBE As a suffragist (as opposed to a suffragette), she took a moderate line, but was a tireless campaigner. She concentrated much of her energy on the struggle to improve women's opportunities for higher education and in 1875 co­founded Newnham College, Cambridge.[1] She later became president of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (the NUWSS), a position she held from 1897 until 1919. In July 1901 she was appointed to lead the British government's commission to South Africa to investigate conditions in the concentration camps that had been created there in the wake of the Second Boer War. Her report corroborated what the campaigner Emily Hobhouse had said about conditions in the camps. Contents 1 Early life 2 Married life 3 Later years 4 Political activities Born Millicent Garrett 5 Works 11 June 1847 6 See also Aldeburgh, England, United Kingdom 7 References 8 Archives Died 5 August 1929 (aged 82) 9 External links London, England, United Kingdom Nationality British Occupation Feminist, suffragist, union leader Early life Millicent Fawcett was born on 11 June 1847 in Aldeburgh[2] to Newson Garrett, a warehouse owner from Leiston, Suffolk, and his wife, Louisa née Dunnell (1813–1903), from London.[3][4] The Garrett ancestors had been ironworkers in East Suffolk since the early seventeenth century.[5] Newson Garrett was the youngest of three sons and not academically inclined, although he possessed the family’s entrepreneurial spirit.
    [Show full text]
  • Notices of the American Mathematical Society June/July 2006
    of the American Mathematical Society ... (I) , Ate._~ f.!.o~~Gffi·u.­ .4-e.e..~ ~~~- •i :/?I:(; $~/9/3, Honoring J ~ rt)d ~cLra-4/,:e~ o-n. /'~7 ~ ~<A at a Gift from fL ~ /i: $~ "'7/<J/3. .} -<.<>-a.-<> ~e.Lz?-1~ CL n.y.L;; ro'T>< 0 -<>-<~:4z_ I Kumbakonam li .d. ~ ~~d a. v#a.d--??">ovt<.·c.-6 ~~/f. t:JU- Lo,.,do-,......) ~a page 640 ~!! ?7?.-L ..(; ~7 Ca.-uM /3~~-d~ .Y~~:Li: ~·e.-l a:.--nd '?1.-d- p ~ .di.,r--·c/~ C(c£~r~~u . J~~~aq_ f< -e-.-.ol ~ ~ ~/IX~ ~ /~~ 4)r!'a.. /:~~c~ •.7~ The Millennium Grand Challenge .(/.) a..Lu.O<"'? ...0..0~ e--ne_.o.AA/T..C<.r~- /;;; '7?'E.G .£.rA-CLL~ ~ ·d ~ in Mathematics C>n.A..U-a.A-d ~~. J /"-L .h. ?n.~ ~?(!.,£ ~ ~ &..ct~ /U~ page 652 -~~r a-u..~~r/a.......<>l/.k> 0?-t- ~at o ~~ &~ -~·e.JL d ~~ o(!'/UJD/ J;I'J~~Lcr~~ 0 ??u£~ ifJ>JC.Qol J ~ ~ ~ -0-H·d~-<.() d Ld.orn.J,k, -F-'1-. ~- a-o a.rd· J-c~.<-r:~ rn-u-{-r·~ ~'rrx ~~/ ~-?naae ~~ a...-'XS.otA----o-n.<l C</.J.d:i. ~~~ ~cL.va- 7 ??.L<A) ~ - Ja/d ~~ ./1---J- d-.. ~if~ ~0:- ~oj'~ t1fd~u: - l + ~ _,. :~ _,. .~., -~- .. =- ~ ~ d.u. 7 ~'d . H J&."dIJ';;;::. cL. r ~·.d a..L- 0.-n(U. jz-o-cn-...l- o~- 4; ~ .«:... ~....£.~.:: a/.l~!T cLc.·£o.-4- ~ d.v. /-)-c~ a;- ~'>'T/JH'..,...~ ~ d~~ ~u ~­ ~ a..t-4. l& foLk~ '{j ~~- e4 -7'~ -£T JZ~~c~ d.,_ .&~ o-n ~ -d YjtA:o ·C.LU~ ~or /)-<..,.,r &-.
    [Show full text]
  • The "Greatest European Mathematician of the Middle Ages"
    Who was Fibonacci? The "greatest European mathematician of the middle ages", his full name was Leonardo of Pisa, or Leonardo Pisano in Italian since he was born in Pisa (Italy), the city with the famous Leaning Tower, about 1175 AD. Pisa was an important commercial town in its day and had links with many Mediterranean ports. Leonardo's father, Guglielmo Bonacci, was a kind of customs officer in the North African town of Bugia now called Bougie where wax candles were exported to France. They are still called "bougies" in French, but the town is a ruin today says D E Smith (see below). So Leonardo grew up with a North African education under the Moors and later travelled extensively around the Mediterranean coast. He would have met with many merchants and learned of their systems of doing arithmetic. He soon realised the many advantages of the "Hindu-Arabic" system over all the others. D E Smith points out that another famous Italian - St Francis of Assisi (a nearby Italian town) - was also alive at the same time as Fibonacci: St Francis was born about 1182 (after Fibonacci's around 1175) and died in 1226 (before Fibonacci's death commonly assumed to be around 1250). By the way, don't confuse Leonardo of Pisa with Leonardo da Vinci! Vinci was just a few miles from Pisa on the way to Florence, but Leonardo da Vinci was born in Vinci in 1452, about 200 years after the death of Leonardo of Pisa (Fibonacci). His names Fibonacci Leonardo of Pisa is now known as Fibonacci [pronounced fib-on-arch-ee] short for filius Bonacci.
    [Show full text]
  • The Astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler
    Ice Core Records – From Volcanoes to Supernovas The Astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler Tycho Brahe (1546-1601, shown at left) was a nobleman from Denmark who made astronomy his life's work because he was so impressed when, as a boy, he saw an eclipse of the Sun take place at exactly the time it was predicted. Tycho's life's work in astronomy consisted of measuring the positions of the stars, planets, Moon, and Sun, every night and day possible, and carefully recording these measurements, year after year. Johannes Kepler (1571-1630, below right) came from a poor German family. He did not have it easy growing Tycho Brahe up. His father was a soldier, who was killed in a war, and his mother (who was once accused of witchcraft) did not treat him well. Kepler was taken out of school when he was a boy so that he could make money for the family by working as a waiter in an inn. As a young man Kepler studied theology and science, and discovered that he liked science better. He became an accomplished mathematician and a persistent and determined calculator. He was driven to find an explanation for order in the universe. He was convinced that the order of the planets and their movement through the sky could be explained through mathematical calculation and careful thinking. Johannes Kepler Tycho wanted to study science so that he could learn how to predict eclipses. He studied mathematics and astronomy in Germany. Then, in 1571, when he was 25, Tycho built his own observatory on an island (the King of Denmark gave him the island and some additional money just for that purpose).
    [Show full text]
  • Open Research Online Oro.Open.Ac.Uk
    Open Research Online The Open University’s repository of research publications and other research outputs The Gender Gap in Mathematical and Natural Sciences from a Historical Perspective Conference or Workshop Item How to cite: Barrow-Green, June; Ponce Dawson, Silvina and Roy, Marie-Françoise (2019). The Gender Gap in Mathematical and Natural Sciences from a Historical Perspective. In: Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians - 2018 (Sirakov, Boyan; Ney de Souza, Paulo and Viana, Marcelo eds.), World Scientific, pp. 1073–1092. For guidance on citations see FAQs. c [not recorded] https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Version: Accepted Manuscript Link(s) to article on publisher’s website: http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1142/11060 Copyright and Moral Rights for the articles on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. For more information on Open Research Online’s data policy on reuse of materials please consult the policies page. oro.open.ac.uk P. I. C. M. – 2018 Rio de Janeiro, Vol. (1073–1068) 1 THE GENDER GAP IN MATHEMATICAL AND NATURAL 2 SCIENCES FROM A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 3 J B-G, S P D M-F R 4 5 Abstract 6 The panel organised by the Committee for Women in Mathematics (CWM) 7 of the International Mathematical Union (IMU) took place at the International nd 8 Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) on August 2 , 2018. It was attended by about 9 190 people, with a reasonable gender balance (1/4 men, 3/4 women). The panel was 10 moderated by Caroline Series, President of the London Mathematical Society and 11 Vice-Chair of CWM.
    [Show full text]
  • Indian Mathematics
    Indian Mathemtics V. S. Varadarajan University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA UCLA, March 3-5, 2008 Abstract In these two lectures I shall talk about some Indian mathe- maticians and their work. I have chosen two examples: one from the 7th century, Brahmagupta, and the other, Ra- manujan, from the 20th century. Both of these are very fascinating figures, and their histories illustrate various as- pects of mathematics in ancient and modern times. In a very real sense their works are still relevant to the mathe- matics of today. Some great ancient Indian figures of Science Varahamihira (505–587) Brahmagupta (598-670) Bhaskara II (1114–1185) The modern era Ramanujan, S (1887–1920) Raman, C. V (1888–1970) Mahalanobis, P. C (1893–1972) Harish-Chandra (1923–1983) Bhaskara represents the peak of mathematical and astro- nomical knowledge in the 12th century. He reached an un- derstanding of calculus, astronomy, the number systems, and solving equations, which were not to be achieved any- where else in the world for several centuries...(Wikipedia). Indian science languished after that, the British colonial occupation did not help, but in the 19th century there was a renaissance of arts and sciences, and Indian Science even- tually reached a level comparable to western science. BRAHMAGUPTA (598–670c) Some quotations of Brahmagupta As the sun eclipses the stars by its brilliancy, so the man of knowledge will eclipse the fame of others in assemblies of the people if he proposes algebraic problems, and still more, if he solves them. Quoted in F Cajori, A History of Mathematics A person who can, within a year, solve x2 92y2 =1, is a mathematician.
    [Show full text]
  • Newton.Indd | Sander Pinkse Boekproductie | 16-11-12 / 14:45 | Pag
    omslag Newton.indd | Sander Pinkse Boekproductie | 16-11-12 / 14:45 | Pag. 1 e Dutch Republic proved ‘A new light on several to be extremely receptive to major gures involved in the groundbreaking ideas of Newton Isaac Newton (–). the reception of Newton’s Dutch scholars such as Willem work.’ and the Netherlands Jacob ’s Gravesande and Petrus Prof. Bert Theunissen, Newton the Netherlands and van Musschenbroek played a Utrecht University crucial role in the adaption and How Isaac Newton was Fashioned dissemination of Newton’s work, ‘is book provides an in the Dutch Republic not only in the Netherlands important contribution to but also in the rest of Europe. EDITED BY ERIC JORINK In the course of the eighteenth the study of the European AND AD MAAS century, Newton’s ideas (in Enlightenment with new dierent guises and interpre- insights in the circulation tations) became a veritable hype in Dutch society. In Newton of knowledge.’ and the Netherlands Newton’s Prof. Frans van Lunteren, sudden success is analyzed in Leiden University great depth and put into a new perspective. Ad Maas is curator at the Museum Boerhaave, Leiden, the Netherlands. Eric Jorink is researcher at the Huygens Institute for Netherlands History (Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences). / www.lup.nl LUP Newton and the Netherlands.indd | Sander Pinkse Boekproductie | 16-11-12 / 16:47 | Pag. 1 Newton and the Netherlands Newton and the Netherlands.indd | Sander Pinkse Boekproductie | 16-11-12 / 16:47 | Pag. 2 Newton and the Netherlands.indd | Sander Pinkse Boekproductie | 16-11-12 / 16:47 | Pag.
    [Show full text]
  • After Ramanujan Left Us– a Stock-Taking Exercise S
    Ref: after-ramanujanls.tex Ver. Ref.: : 20200426a After Ramanujan left us– a stock-taking exercise S. Parthasarathy [email protected] 1 Remembering a giant This article is a sequel to my article on Ramanujan [14]. April 2020 will mark the death centenary of the legendary Indian mathe- matician – Srinivasa Ramanujan (22 December 1887 – 26 April 1920). There will be celebrations of course, but one way to honour Ramanujan would be to do some introspection and stock-taking. This is a short survey of notable achievements and contributions to mathematics by Indian institutions and by Indian mathematicians (born in India) and in the last hundred years since Ramanujan left us. It would be highly unfair to compare the achievements of an individual, Ramanujan, during his short life span (32 years), with the achievements of an entire nation over a century. We should also consider the context in which Ramanujan lived, and the most unfavourable and discouraging situation in which he grew up. We will still attempt a stock-taking, to record how far we have moved after Ramanujan left us. Note : The table below should not be used to compare the relative impor- tance or significance of the contributions listed there. It is impossible to list out the entire galaxy of mathematicians for a whole century. The table below may seem incomplete and may contain some inad- vertant errors. If you notice any major lacunae or omissions, or if you have any suggestions, please let me know at [email protected]. 1 April 1920 – April 2020 Year Name/instit. Topic Recognition 1 1949 Dattatreya Kaprekar constant, Ramchandra Kaprekar number Kaprekar [1] [2] 2 1968 P.C.
    [Show full text]
  • Elizabeth Garrett Anderson in Context: the Origins of the Women’S Movement in Mid- Victorian Britain
    Elizabeth Garrett Anderson in context: the origins of the women’s movement in mid- Victorian Britain By Professor Lawrence Goldman In 1840 in London at the first World Anti-Slavery Convention, a woman rose to speak from the separate enclosure where all women attendees at the meeting had been corralled. There was consternation and uproar and she was silenced. The following day The Times carried an editorial on the meeting and made unkind remarks on the manners of our American cousins because the woman in question was from the United States. Her name was Elizabeth Cady Stanton and she is often compared with Millicent Garrett Fawcett, the equally famous sister of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson. Elizabeth Cady Stanton led the movement for women’s enfranchisement in America in the late-19th century and often attested that it was her treatment in London in 1840 which made her the leading American feminist of her generation. In Britain in 1840 no respectable woman would speak in public; that was the privilege of men only. Yet fast-forward to Birmingham in October 1857 and the opening congress of an organisation called the Social Science Association, and here, for the first time, 17 years later, a middle-class woman spoke in open and mixed company. Her name was Mary Carpenter and she spoke about her work rescuing street children in Bristol and educating them in so-called ragged schools. Miss Carpenter was already a famous female philanthropist and the audience for this landmark speech was so large that the meeting was delayed while everyone moved to a bigger venue.
    [Show full text]
  • Famous Mathematicians Key
    Infinite Secrets AIRING SEPTEMBER 30, 2003 Learning More Dzielska, Maria. Famous Mathematicians Hypatia of Alexandria. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University The history of mathematics spans thousands of years and touches all parts of the Press, 1996. world. Likewise, the notable mathematicians of the past and present are equally Provides a biography of Hypatia based diverse.The following are brief biographies of three mathematicians who stand out on several sources,including the letters for their contributions to the fields of geometry and calculus. of Hypatia’s student Synesius. Hypatia of Alexandria Bhaskara wrote numerous papers and Biographies of Women Mathematicians books on such topics as plane and spherical (c. A.D. 370–415 ) www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/ Born in Alexandria, trigonometry, algebra, and the mathematics women.htm of planetary motion. His most famous work, Contains biographical essays and Egypt, around A.D. 370, Siddhanta Siromani, was written in A.D. comments on woman mathematicians, Hypatia was the first 1150. It is divided into four parts: “Lilavati” including Hypatia. Also includes documented female (arithmetic), “Bijaganita” (algebra), resources for further study. mathematician. She was ✷ ✷ ✷ the daughter of Theon, “Goladhyaya” (celestial globe), and a mathematician who “Grahaganita” (mathematics of the planets). Patwardhan, K. S., S. A. Naimpally, taught at the school at the Alexandrine Like Archimedes, Bhaskara discovered and S. L. Singh. Library. She studied astronomy, astrology, several principles of what is now calculus Lilavati of Bhaskaracharya. centuries before it was invented. Also like Delhi, India:Motilal Banarsidass, 2001. and mathematics under the guidance of her Archimedes, Bhaskara was fascinated by the Explains the definitions, formulae, father.She became head of the Platonist concepts of infinity and square roots.
    [Show full text]
  • Professor Shiing Shen CHERN Citation
    ~~____~__~~Doctor_~______ of Science honoris cau5a _-___ ____ Professor Shiing Shen CHERN Citation “Not willing to yield to the saints of ancient mathematics. In his own words, his objective is and modem times / He alone ascends the towering to bring about a situation in which “Chinese height.” This verse, written by Professor Wu-zhi mathematics is placed on a par with Western Yang, the father of Nobel Laureate in Physics mathematics and is independent of the latter. That Professor Chen-Ning Yang, to Professor Shiing Shen is, Chinese mathematics must be on the same level CHERN, fully reflects the high achievements as its Western counterpart, though not necessarily attained by Professor Chern during a career that bending its efforts in the same direction.” has spanned over 70 years. Professor Chern was born in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Professor Chern has dedicated his life to the Province in 1911, and displayed considerable study of mathematics. In his early thirties, he mathematical talent even as a child. In 1930, after realized the importance of fiber bundle structure. graduating from the Department of Mathematics From an entirely new perspective, he provided a at Nankai University, he was admitted to the simple intrinsic proof of the Gauss-Bonnet Formula graduate school of Tsinghua University. In 1934, 24 and constructed the “Chern Characteristic Classes”, he received funding to study in Hamburg under thus laying a solid foundation for the study of global the great master of geometry Professor W Blaschke, differential geometry as a whole. and completed his doctoral dissertation in less than a year.
    [Show full text]