M. T. Cheng
Encyclopedia
M. T. Cheng or Cheng Minde (Chinese
: 程民德; Pinyin
: Chéng Míndé; 1917–1998), was a notable Chinese
mathematician
. Cheng was the main founder
of Peking University
Mathematical Research Institute, and longtime head of the Department of Mathematics of Peking University.
, Jiangsu Province, China
. His father Cheng Zhanlu (Chinese: 程瞻庐) was a notable novelist.
In 1935, Cheng became a student of the Department of Electrical Engineering
of Zhejiang University
in Hangzhou
. Due to Su Buqing
's advice, Cheng later transferred into the Department of Mathematics. Cheng graduated BS and MS (in autumn 1942).
From 1942 to 1943, Cheng took his internship as an electrical engineer in a factory in Chongqing
, the war-time capital of China
during the Second Sino-Japanese War
.
From 1943 to 1946, Cheng was a lecturer
at the Department of Mathematics of Zhejiang University. From 1946 to 1947, Cheng lectured at the mathematical department of Peking University.
In 1947, Cheng went to USA to continue his study at Princeton University
. His doctoral
advisor was Salomon Bochner
. Cheng earned his PhD in 1949, and did his postdoctoral research
at Princeton till Jan 1950.
Cheng went back to China. From Jan 1951 to 1952, Cheng was an associate professor and later professor at the Department of Mathematics of Tsinghua University
. Since 1952, Cheng was a professor at the Department of Mathematics of Peking University. From 1978 to 1988, Cheng was the Director of the Mathematical Research Institute of Peking University.
Cheng was elected into Chinese Academy of Sciences
as an academician in 1980. From 1982 to 1988, Cheng was the President of Beijing Mathematical Society. From 1983 to 1988, Cheng was a Vice-president of Chinese Mathematical Society.
Cheng was a pioneer of harmonic analysis
and image processing
and recognition in modern China. The famous digital innovator Wang Xuan
was also one of his students.
Cheng died 26 Nov 1998 in Beijing.
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 程民德; Pinyin
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...
: Chéng Míndé; 1917–1998), was a notable Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
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....
. Cheng was the main founder
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
of Peking University
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
Mathematical Research Institute, and longtime head of the Department of Mathematics of Peking University.
Biography
Cheng was born 24 Jan 1917 in SuzhouSuzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
, Jiangsu Province, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. His father Cheng Zhanlu (Chinese: 程瞻庐) was a notable novelist.
In 1935, Cheng became a student of the Department of Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
of 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 Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
. Due to 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...
's advice, Cheng later transferred into the Department of Mathematics. Cheng graduated BS and MS (in autumn 1942).
From 1942 to 1943, Cheng took his internship as an electrical engineer in a factory in Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
, the war-time capital of China
Historical capitals of China
The Chinese phrase Four Great Ancient Capitals of China traditionally refers to Beijing , Nanjing, Luoyang, and Chang'an ....
during the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
.
From 1943 to 1946, Cheng was a lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
at the Department of Mathematics of Zhejiang University. From 1946 to 1947, Cheng lectured at the mathematical department of Peking University.
In 1947, Cheng went to USA to continue his study at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. His doctoral
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
advisor was Salomon Bochner
Salomon Bochner
Salomon Bochner was an American mathematician of Austrian-Hungarian origin, known for wide-ranging work in mathematical analysis, probability theory and differential geometry.- Life :...
. Cheng earned his PhD in 1949, and did his postdoctoral research
Postdoctoral researcher
Postdoctoral research is scholarly research conducted by a person who has recently completed doctoral studies, normally within the previous five years. It is intended to further deepen expertise in a specialist subject, including acquiring novel skills and methods...
at Princeton till Jan 1950.
Cheng went back to China. From Jan 1951 to 1952, Cheng was an associate professor and later professor at the Department of Mathematics of Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University , colloquially known in Chinese as Qinghua, is a university in Beijing, China. The school is one of the nine universities of the C9 League. It was established in 1911 under the name "Tsinghua Xuetang" or "Tsinghua College" and was renamed the "Tsinghua School" one year later...
. Since 1952, Cheng was a professor at the Department of Mathematics of Peking University. From 1978 to 1988, Cheng was the Director of the Mathematical Research Institute of Peking University.
Cheng was elected into Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chinese Academy of Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Sciences , formerly known as Academia Sinica, is the national academy for the natural sciences of the People's Republic of China. It is an institution of the State Council of China. It is headquartered in Beijing, with institutes all over the People's Republic of China...
as an academician in 1980. From 1982 to 1988, Cheng was the President of Beijing Mathematical Society. From 1983 to 1988, Cheng was a Vice-president of Chinese Mathematical Society.
Cheng was a pioneer of harmonic analysis
Harmonic analysis
Harmonic analysis is the branch of mathematics that studies the representation of functions or signals as the superposition of basic waves. It investigates and generalizes the notions of Fourier series and Fourier transforms...
and image processing
Image processing
In electrical engineering and computer science, image processing is any form of signal processing for which the input is an image, such as a photograph or video frame; the output of image processing may be either an image or, a set of characteristics or parameters related to the image...
and recognition in modern China. The famous digital innovator Wang Xuan
Wang Xuan
Wang Xuan , born in Wuxi, Jiangsu, China, innovator of the Chinese printing industry, was an academician at both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering...
was also one of his students.
Cheng died 26 Nov 1998 in Beijing.
Memory
- A Great Tree: Memorial Collections of Cheng Minde (Chinese: 一棵挺拔的大树：程民德先生纪念文集); Peking University Press; 1 Nov 2000; ISBN 7301017774.
External links
- Detailed biography of Cheng Minde (including photo)
- Biography of Cheng Minde, from the Holeung Ho Lee Foundation (English, including photo)
- Database of members of CAS (Chinese Academy of Sciences): Cheng Minde; from People.com.cn
- 近半个世纪的回顾－程民德 (A Semicentennial Memory - Cheng Minde); from Academic Divisions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences