Oswald Veblen

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Oswald Veblen
Veblen hierarchy
Veblen ordinal
Veblen's theorem
Veblen–Young theorem
Veblen–Wedderburn systems
Fixed-point lemma for normal functions
Scientific career
InstitutionsPrinceton University
Institute for Advanced Study
ThesisA System of Axioms for Geometry (1903)
Doctoral advisorE. H. Moore
Doctoral studentsJ. W. Alexander
H. Roy Brahana
Alonzo Church
Philip Franklin
Wallace Givens
Harold Hotelling
Howard H. Mitchell
Robert Lee Moore
Tracy Thomas
J. H. C. Whitehead

Oswald Veblen (June 24, 1880 – August 10, 1960) was an American

topologist, whose work found application in atomic physics and the theory of relativity. He proved the Jordan curve theorem in 1905;[1] while this was long considered the first rigorous proof of the theorem, many now also consider Camille Jordan
's original proof rigorous.

Early life

Veblen was born in Decorah, Iowa. His parents were Andrew Anderson Veblen (1848–1932), Professor of Physics at the University of Iowa, and Kirsti (Hougen) Veblen (1851–1908). Veblen's uncle was Thorstein Veblen, noted economist and sociologist.

Oswald went to school in

PhD in 1903. His dissertation, A System of Axioms for Geometry was written under the supervision of E. H. Moore. During World War I, Veblen served first as a captain, later as a major in the United States Army.[2]

Career

Veblen taught mathematics at Princeton University from 1905 to 1932. In 1926, he was named Henry B. Fine Professor of Mathematics. In 1932, he helped organize the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, resigning his professorship to become the first professor at the Institute that same year. He kept his professorship at the Institute until he was made emeritus in 1950.[3]

During his years in Princeton, Veblen and his wife, Elizabeth M D Richardson, accumulated land along the Princeton Ridge. In 1957 they donated 82 acres (33 ha) to establish the Herrontown Woods Arboretum, the first and one of the largest nature preserves in Princeton, New Jersey.[4]

Veblen was a Plenary Speaker of the ICM in 1928 in Bologna and in 1936 in Oslo.[5]

Veblen died in Brooklin, Maine, in 1960 at age 80. After his death the American Mathematical Society created an award in his name, called the Oswald Veblen Prize in Geometry. It is awarded every three years, and is the most prestigious award in recognition of outstanding research in geometry.

Accomplishments

During his career, Veblen made important contributions in topology and in

four-color conjecture
.

Veblen was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1912, the United States National Academy of Sciences in 1919, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1923.[9][10][11]

Personal life

In 1908, he married Elizabeth Richardson, the sister of British physicist

Clinton Joseph Davisson.[12][13]

Veblen Research Instructorship

The Veblen Research Instructorship is a three-year position offered by the Department of Mathematics at Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study. This position was established in 1998 and offered each year to outstanding candidates in pure and applied mathematics who have received their PhD within the last three years.

The Veblen instructors are Members of the Institute for Advanced Study and regular faculty members at Princeton University. The first and third year of the instructorship are spent at Princeton University and carry regular teaching responsibilities. The second year is spent at the Institute and dedicated to independent research of the instructor's choice.[14]

Books by O. Veblen

See also

References

  1. ^ Mac Lane, Saunders (1964). "Oswald Veblen June 24, 1880—August 10, 1960" (PDF). Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences. Washington, D.C.
  2. ^ O'Connor, J. J.; E F Robertson. "Oswald Veblen". School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, Scotland. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  3. ^ Batterson, Steve (May 2007). "The Vision, Insight, and Influence of Oswald Veblen" (PDF). Notices of the American Mathematical Society. 54 (5). Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  4. ^ "Large Tract Donated". The Town Topics. 28 July 1957. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  5. ^ Veblen, Oswald (1937). "Spinors and projective geometry". In: Comptes rendus du Congrès international des mathématiciens: Oslo, 1936. Vol. 1. pp. 111–127.
  6. ^ Mac Lane (1964), pg 333.
  7. ^ "ARL Computing History". The Computer, from Pascal to von Neumann. Arl.Army.mil. 2010. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
  8. ^ "The History of Computing at BRL" Archived 2005-04-19 at the Wayback Machine, [Mike Muuss]
  9. ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  10. ^ "Oswald Veblen". www.nasonline.org. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  11. ^ "Oswald Veblen". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. 2023-02-09. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  12. ^ Nobel Foundation (1928). "Owen Willans Richardson: The Nobel Prize in Physics 1928". Les Prix Nobel. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  13. ^ Nobel Foundation (1937). "Clinton Joseph Davisson: The Nobel Prize in Physics 1937". Les Prix Nobel. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  14. ^ "Veblen Research Instructorships". Institute for Advanced Studies. 8 November 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  15. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1908-01710-5
    .
  16. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1911-02156-5
    .
  17. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1920-03332-x
    .
  18. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1924-03901-9
    .
  19. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1929-04779-7
    .
  20. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1933-05600-8
    .
  21. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1934-05803-8
    .

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to Oswald Veblen.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oswald Veblen.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Oswald_Veblen&oldid=1217697175"