Arnold Ross
Encyclopedia
Arnold Ephraim Ross was a mathematician
and educator
who founded the Ross Mathematics Program
at the Ohio State University
.
, but spent his childhood in Odessa
, Russia
before moving back to his hometown when he was 16 (1922). It was there at the University of Chicago
, where he earned his PhD
in mathematics (under L. E. Dickson) in 1931. In that same year, he married Bertha Horecker, nicknamed "Bee."
arose, he put in time doing mathematical research for the U.S. Navy. After the war, the University of Notre Dame
appointed him Head of the Mathematics department (1946).
It was at Notre Dame that he started the Ross Mathematics Program
. Later on, he moved to Ohio State University
as a new Chairman of the Department of Mathematics in 1963. The Ross Program, after moving to the University of Chicago
for a period in the 1970s, eventually moved to Ohio State where it is still in existence today. In addition, Ross introduced programs like New Horizons and Horizons Unlimited in the 1960s for children in Columbus, Ohio
.
, and another in the June 2003 issue of the notices of the American Mathematical Society
. There was a 50th anniversary "Ross Reunion" on July 20—22, 2007.
Through the Ross Mathematics Program
, he sparked an interest in the math community as smaller programs popped up as far away as Australia
, India
, and West Germany
. Many alumni of the program went on to create number theory
camps like PROMYS
and the Texas State University Honors Summer Math Camp.
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and educator
Mathematics education
In contemporary education, mathematics education is the practice of teaching and learning mathematics, along with the associated scholarly research....
who founded the Ross Mathematics Program
Ross Mathematics Program
The Ross Mathematics Program is an intensive eight-week residential summer camp for high school students interested in mathematics. The program is currently run by Professor Daniel Shapiro and is based out of the Ohio State University.-History:...
at the Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
.
Personal Life
He was born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, but spent his childhood in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
before moving back to his hometown when he was 16 (1922). It was there at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, where he earned his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in mathematics (under L. E. Dickson) in 1931. In that same year, he married Bertha Horecker, nicknamed "Bee."
Career
Over the years, he taught at Caltech, People's Junior College, and St. Louis University. When World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
arose, he put in time doing mathematical research for the U.S. Navy. After the war, the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
appointed him Head of the Mathematics department (1946).
It was at Notre Dame that he started the Ross Mathematics Program
Ross Mathematics Program
The Ross Mathematics Program is an intensive eight-week residential summer camp for high school students interested in mathematics. The program is currently run by Professor Daniel Shapiro and is based out of the Ohio State University.-History:...
. Later on, he moved to Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
as a new Chairman of the Department of Mathematics in 1963. The Ross Program, after moving to the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
for a period in the 1970s, eventually moved to Ohio State where it is still in existence today. In addition, Ross introduced programs like New Horizons and Horizons Unlimited in the 1960s for children in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
.
Retirement
He retired from his job at OSU in 1976. In 1983, his wife died after a happy, childless marriage. In 1990, he married Madeleine Green. Ross continued to teach the summer program until 2000, when he was no longer physically able to do so. There was a "Ross Reunion" in 1996 and again in 2001, the first year in the program's existence that he did not teach the lecture portion.Death
After he died in 2002, memorial articles appeared in the December 2002 and January 2003 issues of the MAA FocusMAA FOCUS
MAA FOCUS is the newsmagazine of the Mathematical Association of America. It carries news items and short articles of interest to the organization's members....
, and another in the June 2003 issue of the notices of the American Mathematical Society
American Mathematical Society
The American Mathematical Society is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to the interests of mathematical research and scholarship, which it does with various publications and conferences as well as annual monetary awards and prizes to mathematicians.The society is one of the...
. There was a 50th anniversary "Ross Reunion" on July 20—22, 2007.
Through the Ross Mathematics Program
Ross Mathematics Program
The Ross Mathematics Program is an intensive eight-week residential summer camp for high school students interested in mathematics. The program is currently run by Professor Daniel Shapiro and is based out of the Ohio State University.-History:...
, he sparked an interest in the math community as smaller programs popped up as far away as Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. Many alumni of the program went on to create number theory
Number theory
Number theory is a branch of pure mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers. Number theorists study prime numbers as well...
camps like PROMYS
PROMYS
The Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists is a six-week number theory program currently under the direction of Professor Glenn Stevens at Boston University beginning in early July and ending in mid-August....
and the Texas State University Honors Summer Math Camp.
Awards
- Ohio State UniversityOhio State UniversityThe Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
Distinguished Teaching Award (1974) - Ohio State UniversityOhio State UniversityThe Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
Distinguished Service Award (1981) - Mathematics Association of America Award for Distinguished Service (1986)
- American Mathematical SocietyAmerican Mathematical SocietyThe American Mathematical Society is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to the interests of mathematical research and scholarship, which it does with various publications and conferences as well as annual monetary awards and prizes to mathematicians.The society is one of the...
Citation for Public Service (1998) - American Mathematical SocietyAmerican Mathematical SocietyThe American Mathematical Society is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to the interests of mathematical research and scholarship, which it does with various publications and conferences as well as annual monetary awards and prizes to mathematicians.The society is one of the...
establishes the "Arnold Ross Lecture Series" (1993) - Denison UniversityDenison UniversityDenison University is private, coeducational, and residential college of liberal arts and sciences founded in 1831. It is located in Granville, Ohio, United States, approximately 30 miles east of Columbus, the state capital...
Honorary Doctoral Degree (1984)