Lipman Bers
Encyclopedia
Lipman Bers was an American
mathematician
born in Riga who created the theory of pseudoanalytic function
s and worked on Riemann surface
s and Kleinian group
s.
. His advisor was Charles Loewner
. He worked at Syracuse University
(1945–1951), New York University
(1951–1964) and at Columbia University
(1964–1982). In 1961, he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
. He was a member of the Finnish Academy of Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society
. He was a Vice-President (1963–65) and a President (1975–77) of the American Mathematical Society
. He received the AMS
Leroy P. Steele Prize for Exposition in 1975.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mathematician
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....
born in Riga who created the theory of pseudoanalytic function
Pseudoanalytic function
In mathematics, pseudoanalytic functions are functions introduced by that generalize analytic functions and satisfy a weakened form of the Cauchy–Riemann equations....
s and worked on Riemann surface
Riemann surface
In mathematics, particularly in complex analysis, a Riemann surface, first studied by and named after Bernhard Riemann, is a one-dimensional complex manifold. Riemann surfaces can be thought of as "deformed versions" of the complex plane: locally near every point they look like patches of the...
s and Kleinian group
Kleinian group
In mathematics, a Kleinian group is a discrete subgroup of PSL. The group PSL of 2 by 2 complex matrices of determinant 1 modulo its center has several natural representations: as conformal transformations of the Riemann sphere, and as orientation-preserving isometries of 3-dimensional hyperbolic...
s.
Biography
Bers received his Ph.D. in 1938 from the University of PragueUniversity of Prague
Prague UniversitiesSocial Science:*Charles University in PragueEconomic University:*University of Economics, Prague*The University of Finance and AdministrationTechnical University:*Czech Technical University in Prague...
. His advisor was Charles Loewner
Charles Loewner
Charles Loewner was an American mathematician. His name was Karel Löwner in Czech and Karl Löwner in German.Loewner received his Ph.D...
. He worked at Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
(1945–1951), New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
(1951–1964) and at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
(1964–1982). In 1961, he was elected a Fellow of 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...
. He was a member of the Finnish Academy of Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
. He was a Vice-President (1963–65) and a President (1975–77) 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...
. He received the AMS
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...
Leroy P. Steele Prize for Exposition in 1975.