Chung Tao Yang
Encyclopedia
Chung Tao Yang, or Chung-Tao Yang, Yang Zhongdao (Traditional Chinese: 楊忠道, Simplified Chinese: 杨忠道, Pinyin
: Yáng Zhòngdào) (1923–2005), was a notable Chinese American
topologist. He was an academician of the Academia Sinica
and served as the chair of the Department of Mathematics, University of Pennsylvania
.
County, Wenzhou
, Zhejiang Province on May 4, 1923. He graduated from Wenzhou Middle School in 1942. He graduated from Zhejiang University
in 1946 and his main academic advisor was Su Buqing
. From 1946 to 1948 he was an assistant in the Department of Mathematics, Zhejiang University . From 1949 to 1950 he was a lecturer at National Taiwan University
. During this time he was an assistant and later a researcher in the Institute of Mathematics, Academia Sinica.
Dr. Yang went to USA, obtained PhD
from Tulane University
in 1952. From 1952 to 1954, he taught at the University of Illinois, and from 1954 to 1956, he was a visiting member at the Institute for Advanced Study
, where he began a lifelong collaboration with Deane Montgomery
. In 1956 he became an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania
. He was promoted to associate professor two years later and professor in 1961. He served as chair of the department from 1978 through 1983. He retired and became professor emeritus in 1991.
Yang was elected in 1968 to the Academia Sinica. From 1992 to 2004 he was an advisor for the Institute of Mathematics, Academia Sinica .
Yang worked mainly in differential topology
(especially group actions on manifolds) and published numerous papers in this field , many in collaboration with Deane Montgomery
.
His best known work was on the Blaschke conjecture. His theorem, combined with the results of others, established the conjecture for spheres.
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Yáng Zhòngdào) (1923–2005), was a notable Chinese American
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
topologist. He was an academician of the Academia Sinica
Academia Sinica
The Academia Sinica , headquartered in the Nangang District of Taipei, is the national academy of Taiwan. It supports research activities in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from mathematical and physical sciences, to life sciences, and to humanities and social sciences.Academia Sinica has...
and served as the chair of the Department of Mathematics, University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
.
Life
Chung-Tao Yang was born in PingyangPingyang
Pingyang may refer to:*Linfen, formerly known as Pingyang, county-level city of Shanxi*Princess Pingyang , Chinese princess of the Tang Dynasty*Pingyang County , of Wenzhou, Zhejiang*Towns named Pingyang...
County, Wenzhou
Wenzhou
Wenzhou is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. The area under its jurisdiction, which includes two satellite cities and six counties, had a population of 9,122,100 as of 2010....
, Zhejiang Province on May 4, 1923. He graduated from Wenzhou Middle School in 1942. He graduated from Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University , sometimes referred to as Zheda, is a national university in China. Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's oldest institutions of higher education...
in 1946 and his main academic advisor was Su Buqing
Su Buqing
Su Buqing was a Chinese mathematician and educator.He was born in Pingyang in Zhejiang Province in 1902. He graduated from Tohoku Imperial University in Japan in 1927 and received his Ph.D. from the University in 1931...
. From 1946 to 1948 he was an assistant in the Department of Mathematics, Zhejiang University . From 1949 to 1950 he was a lecturer at National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University is a national co-educational university located in Taipei, Republic of China . In Taiwan, it is colloquially known as "Táidà" . Its main campus is set upon 1,086,167 square meters in Taipei's Da'an District. In addition, the university has 6 other campuses in Taiwan,...
. During this time he was an assistant and later a researcher in the Institute of Mathematics, Academia Sinica.
Dr. Yang went to USA, obtained 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...
from Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
in 1952. From 1952 to 1954, he taught at the University of Illinois, and from 1954 to 1956, he was a visiting member at the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
, where he began a lifelong collaboration with Deane Montgomery
Deane Montgomery
Deane Montgomery was a mathematician specializing in topology who was one of the contributors to the final resolution of Hilbert's fifth problem in the 1950s. He served as President of the American Mathematical Society from 1961 to 1962....
. In 1956 he became an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. He was promoted to associate professor two years later and professor in 1961. He served as chair of the department from 1978 through 1983. He retired and became professor emeritus in 1991.
Yang was elected in 1968 to the Academia Sinica. From 1992 to 2004 he was an advisor for the Institute of Mathematics, Academia Sinica .
Research
Yang's earliest research focused on the finite projective geometry.Yang worked mainly in differential topology
Differential topology
In mathematics, differential topology is the field dealing with differentiable functions on differentiable manifolds. It is closely related to differential geometry and together they make up the geometric theory of differentiable manifolds.- Description :...
(especially group actions on manifolds) and published numerous papers in this field , many in collaboration with Deane Montgomery
Deane Montgomery
Deane Montgomery was a mathematician specializing in topology who was one of the contributors to the final resolution of Hilbert's fifth problem in the 1950s. He served as President of the American Mathematical Society from 1961 to 1962....
.
His best known work was on the Blaschke conjecture. His theorem, combined with the results of others, established the conjecture for spheres.
External links
- The Mathematics Genealogy Project - Chung-Tao Yang (English)
- Chung Tao Yang (German)
- Herman Gluck, Frank Warner und Chung Tao Yang (German)
- Our Mathematical Ancestors (October 1999) (English)
- Institute of Mathematics, Academia Sinica, Yang's contributions to topology (Chinese & English)
- 浙大杰出校友、著名数学家杨忠道先生不幸去世 YANG Zhongdao, Zhejiang University's alumnus, died (Chinese)
- The Memory of Topology an essay by Yang, Jan 17, 2000 (Chinese)
- 杨忠道 台湾中央研究院院士，数学家(1923-2005) Introduction from the Department of Mathematics, Zhejiang University (Chinese)
- Obituary from Department of Mathematics University of Pennsylvania