Shimshon Amitsur
Encyclopedia
Shimshon Avraham Amitsur (born Kaplan; ; August 26, 1921 – September 5, 1994) was a Jewish mathematician
. He is best known for his work in ring theory
, in particular PI rings, an area of abstract algebra
.
. His studies were repeatedly interrupted, first by World War II
and then by the Israel's War of Independence. He received his M.Sc.
degree in 1946, and his Ph.D. in 1950. Later, for his joint work with Levitzki, he received the first Israel Prize in Exact Sciences. He worked at the Hebrew University until his retirement in 1989.
Amitsur was a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences
, where he was the Head for Experimental Science Section. He was one of the founding editors of the Israel Journal of Mathematics, and the mathematical editor of the Hebrew Encyclopedia
. Amitsur received a number of awards, including the honorary doctorate
from Ben-Gurion University in 1990. His students included Avinoam Mann, Amitai Regev
, Eliyahu Rips
and Aner Shalev
.
in exact science
s, in 1953, its inaugural year.
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....
. He is best known for his work in ring theory
Ring theory
In abstract algebra, ring theory is the study of rings—algebraic structures in which addition and multiplication are defined and have similar properties to those familiar from the integers...
, in particular PI rings, an area of abstract algebra
Abstract algebra
Abstract algebra is the subject area of mathematics that studies algebraic structures, such as groups, rings, fields, modules, vector spaces, and algebras...
.
Biography
Amitsur was born in Jerusalem and studied at the Hebrew University under the supervision of Jacob LevitzkiJacob Levitzki
Jacob Levitzki, also known as Yaakov Levitsky was an Israeli mathematician.-Biography:Levitzki was born in 1904 in Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire, and emigrated to then Ottoman-ruled Palestine in 1912...
. His studies were repeatedly interrupted, first by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and then by the Israel's War of Independence. He received his M.Sc.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree in 1946, and his Ph.D. in 1950. Later, for his joint work with Levitzki, he received the first Israel Prize in Exact Sciences. He worked at the Hebrew University until his retirement in 1989.
Amitsur was a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences
Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities
The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, based in Jerusalem, was set up in 1961 by the State of Israel to foster contact between scholars from the sciences and humanities in Israel, to advise the government on research projects of national importance, and to promote excellence. It comprises...
, where he was the Head for Experimental Science Section. He was one of the founding editors of the Israel Journal of Mathematics, and the mathematical editor of the Hebrew Encyclopedia
Encyclopaedia Hebraica
The Encyclopaedia Hebraica is a comprehensive encyclopedia in the Hebrew language that was published in the latter half of the 20th century.-History:...
. Amitsur received a number of awards, including the honorary doctorate
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
from Ben-Gurion University in 1990. His students included Avinoam Mann, Amitai Regev
Amitai Regev
Amitai Regev is an Israeli mathematician, known for his work in ring theory.He is the Herman P. Taubman Professor of Mathematics at the Weizmann Institute of Science...
, Eliyahu Rips
Eliyahu Rips
Eliyahu Rips, also Ilya Rips is a Latvian-born Israeli mathematician known for his research in geometric group theory. He became known to the general public following his coauthoring a paper on the Torah Code....
and Aner Shalev
Aner Shalev
Aner Shalev is a professor at the Einstein Institute of Mathematics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a writer.-Biography:Aner Shalev was born in Kibbutz Kinneret and grew up in Beit Berl...
.
Awards
Amitsur and Jacob Levitzki were each awarded the Israel PrizeIsrael Prize
The Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
in exact science
Exact science
An exact science is any field of science capable of accurate quantitative expression or precise predictions and rigorous methods of testing hypotheses, especially reproducible experiments involving quantifiable predictions and measurements...
s, in 1953, its inaugural year.