Isadore Singer
Encyclopedia
Isadore Manuel Singer is an Institute Professor
in the Department of Mathematics
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
. He is noted for his work with Michael Atiyah
proving the Atiyah–Singer index theorem
in 1962, which paved the way for new interactions between pure mathematics
and theoretical physics
.
He was born in Detroit, Michigan
, and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan
in 1944. After obtaining his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago
in 1948 and 1950 respectively, he taught at UCLA and MIT, where he has spent the majority of his career.
He was chair of the Committee of Science & Public Policy of the United States National Academy of Sciences
, a member of the White House Science Council (1982-88), and on the Governing Board of the United States National Research Council
(1995-99). Singer is a member of the National Academy of Sciences
and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
. Among the awards he has received are the Bôcher Memorial Prize
(1969) and the Steele Prize for Lifetime Achievement (2000), both from the American Mathematical Society
, the Eugene Wigner Medal
(1988), the National Medal of Science
(1983), the Abel Prize
(2004, shared with Michael Atiyah
), and the James Rhyne Killian
Faculty Achievement Award from MIT (2005). He is a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
.
Institute Professor
Institute Professor is the highest title that can be awarded to a faculty member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States...
in the Department of Mathematics
MIT Mathematics Department
The Department of Mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is one of the leading mathematics departments in the USAand the world...
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
. He is noted for his work with Michael Atiyah
Michael Atiyah
Sir Michael Francis Atiyah, OM, FRS, FRSE is a British mathematician working in geometry.Atiyah grew up in Sudan and Egypt but spent most of his academic life in the United Kingdom at Oxford and Cambridge, and in the United States at the Institute for Advanced Study...
proving the Atiyah–Singer index theorem
Atiyah–Singer index theorem
In differential geometry, the Atiyah–Singer index theorem, proved by , states that for an elliptic differential operator on a compact manifold, the analytical index is equal to the topological index...
in 1962, which paved the way for new interactions between pure mathematics
Pure mathematics
Broadly speaking, pure mathematics is mathematics which studies entirely abstract concepts. From the eighteenth century onwards, this was a recognized category of mathematical activity, sometimes characterized as speculative mathematics, and at variance with the trend towards meeting the needs of...
and theoretical physics
Theoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena...
.
He was born in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1944. After obtaining his M.S. and Ph.D. from 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...
in 1948 and 1950 respectively, he taught at UCLA and MIT, where he has spent the majority of his career.
He was chair of the Committee of Science & Public Policy of the United States National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
, a member of the White House Science Council (1982-88), and on the Governing Board of the United States National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
(1995-99). Singer is a member of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
. Among the awards he has received are the Bôcher Memorial Prize
Bôcher Memorial Prize
The Bôcher Memorial Prize was founded by the American Mathematical Society in 1923 in memory of Maxime Bôcher with an initial endowment of $1,450 . It is awarded every five years for a notable research memoir in analysis that has appeared during the past six years in a recognized North American...
(1969) and the Steele Prize for Lifetime Achievement (2000), both from 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...
, the Eugene Wigner Medal
The Wigner Medal
The Wigner Medal, is an award designed "to recognize outstanding contributions to the understanding of physics through Group Theory". The Wigner Medal is administered by The Group Theory and Fundamental Physics Foundation, a publicly supported organization...
(1988), the National Medal of Science
National Medal of Science
The National Medal of Science is an honor bestowed by the President of the United States to individuals in science and engineering who have made important contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of behavioral and social sciences, biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and...
(1983), the Abel Prize
Abel Prize
The Abel Prize is an international prize presented annually by the King of Norway to one or more outstanding mathematicians. The prize is named after Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel . It has often been described as the "mathematician's Nobel prize" and is among the most prestigious...
(2004, shared with Michael Atiyah
Michael Atiyah
Sir Michael Francis Atiyah, OM, FRS, FRSE is a British mathematician working in geometry.Atiyah grew up in Sudan and Egypt but spent most of his academic life in the United Kingdom at Oxford and Cambridge, and in the United States at the Institute for Advanced Study...
), and the James Rhyne Killian
James Rhyne Killian
Dr. James Rhyne Killian, Jr. was the 10th president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, from 1948 until 1959.-Career:...
Faculty Achievement Award from MIT (2005). He is a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters is a learned society based in Oslo, Norway.-History:The University of Oslo was established in 1811. The idea of a learned society in Christiania surfaced for the first time in 1841. The city of Throndhjem had no university, but had a learned...
.