Jacques-Louis Lions
Encyclopedia
Jacques-Louis Lions ForMemRS
(3 May 1928 – 17 May 2001) was a French
mathematician who made contributions to the theory of partial differential equation
s and to stochastic control, among other areas. He received the SIAM's John Von Neumann
prize in 1986. Lions is listed as an ISI highly cited researcher
.
in 1947.
Professor of mathematics at the Université of Nancy, the Faculty of Sciences of Paris, and the Ecole Polytechnique
, he joined the prestigious Collège de France
as well as the French Academy of Sciences in 1973.
In 1979, he was appointed director of the Institut National de la Recherche en Informatique et Automatique (INRIA), where he taught and promoted the use of numerical simulations using finite elements integration. Throughout his career, Lions insisted on the use of mathematics in industry, with a particular involvement in the French space program, as well as in domains such as energy and the environment.
This eventually led him to be appointed director of the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES
) from 1984 to 1992.
Lions was elected President of the International Mathematical Union
in 1991 and also received the Prize of Japan that same year. In 1992, the University of Houston
awarded him an honorary doctoral degree. He was elected president of the French Academy of Sciences
in 1996.
He has left a considerable body of work, among this more than 400 scientific articles, 20 volumes of mathematics that were translated into English and Russian, and major contributions to several collective works, including the 4000 pages of the monumental Mathematical analysis and numerical methods for science and technology (in collaboration with Robert Dautray), as well as the Handbook of numerical analysis in 7 volumes (with Philippe G. Ciarlet
).
His son Pierre-Louis Lions
is also a well-known mathematician who was awarded a Fields Medal
in 1994.
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(3 May 1928 – 17 May 2001) was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
mathematician who made contributions to the theory of partial differential equation
Partial differential equation
In mathematics, partial differential equations are a type of differential equation, i.e., a relation involving an unknown function of several independent variables and their partial derivatives with respect to those variables...
s and to stochastic control, among other areas. He received the SIAM's John Von Neumann
John von Neumann
John von Neumann was a Hungarian-American mathematician and polymath who made major contributions to a vast number of fields, including set theory, functional analysis, quantum mechanics, ergodic theory, geometry, fluid dynamics, economics and game theory, computer science, numerical analysis,...
prize in 1986. Lions is listed as an ISI highly cited researcher
ISI highly cited researcher
ISI Highly Cited is a database of "highly cited researchers"—scientific researchers whose publications are most often cited in academic journals over the past decade, published by the Institute for Scientific Information...
.
Biography
After being part of the French Résistance in 1943 and 1944, J.-L. Lions entered the Ecole Normale SupérieureÉcole Normale Supérieure
The École normale supérieure is one of the most prestigious French grandes écoles...
in 1947.
Professor of mathematics at the Université of Nancy, the Faculty of Sciences of Paris, and the Ecole Polytechnique
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...
, he joined the prestigious Collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
as well as the French Academy of Sciences in 1973.
In 1979, he was appointed director of the Institut National de la Recherche en Informatique et Automatique (INRIA), where he taught and promoted the use of numerical simulations using finite elements integration. Throughout his career, Lions insisted on the use of mathematics in industry, with a particular involvement in the French space program, as well as in domains such as energy and the environment.
This eventually led him to be appointed director of the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES
CNES
The is the French government space agency . Established under President Charles de Gaulle in 1961, its headquarters are located in central Paris and it is under the supervision of the French Ministries of Defence and Research...
) from 1984 to 1992.
Lions was elected President of the International Mathematical Union
International Mathematical Union
The International Mathematical Union is an international non-governmental organisation devoted to international cooperation in the field of mathematics across the world. It is a member of the International Council for Science and supports the International Congress of Mathematicians...
in 1991 and also received the Prize of Japan that same year. In 1992, the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
awarded him an honorary doctoral degree. He was elected president of the French Academy of Sciences
French Academy of Sciences
The French Academy of Sciences is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research...
in 1996.
He has left a considerable body of work, among this more than 400 scientific articles, 20 volumes of mathematics that were translated into English and Russian, and major contributions to several collective works, including the 4000 pages of the monumental Mathematical analysis and numerical methods for science and technology (in collaboration with Robert Dautray), as well as the Handbook of numerical analysis in 7 volumes (with Philippe G. Ciarlet
Philippe G. Ciarlet
Philippe G. Ciarlet is a French mathematician, known particularly for his work on mathematical analysis of the finite element method especially applied to elasticity...
).
His son Pierre-Louis Lions
Pierre-Louis Lions
Pierre-Louis Lions is a French mathematician. His parents were Jacques-Louis Lions, a mathematician and at that time professor at the University of Nancy, who in particular became President of the International Mathematical Union, and Andrée Olivier, his wife...
is also a well-known mathematician who was awarded a Fields Medal
Fields Medal
The Fields Medal, officially known as International Medal for Outstanding Discoveries in Mathematics, is a prize awarded to two, three, or four mathematicians not over 40 years of age at each International Congress of the International Mathematical Union , a meeting that takes place every four...
in 1994.