Victor Guillemin
Encyclopedia
Victor William Guillemin (born 1937, Boston
) is a mathematician
, a leader in the field of symplectic geometry, who has also made fundamental contributions to the fields of microlocal analysis
, spectral theory
, and mathematical physics
. He has strongly influenced many graduate students and postdoctoral visitors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, where he is a tenured Professor in the Department of Mathematics, and where he has supervised over 40 doctoral students.
Guillemin received a Ph.D.
in mathematics from Harvard University
in 1962, after earlier completing his B. A. at Harvard in 1959, as well as an M. A.
at the University of Chicago
in 1960. His thesis, entitled Theory of Finite G-Structures, was written under the direction of Shlomo Sternberg
.
He was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences
in 1985. In 2003, he was awarded the Leroy P. Steele Prize for Lifetime Achievement by the American Mathematical Society
. He is the author or co-author of numerous books and monographs, including a widely used textbook on differential topology
, written jointly with Alan Pollack.
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
) is a 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....
, a leader in the field of symplectic geometry, who has also made fundamental contributions to the fields of microlocal analysis
Microlocal analysis
In mathematical analysis, microlocal analysis comprises techniques developed from the 1950s onwards based on Fourier transforms related to the study of variable-coefficients-linear and nonlinear partial differential equations...
, spectral theory
Spectral theory
In mathematics, spectral theory is an inclusive term for theories extending the eigenvector and eigenvalue theory of a single square matrix to a much broader theory of the structure of operators in a variety of mathematical spaces. It is a result of studies of linear algebra and the solutions of...
, and mathematical physics
Mathematical physics
Mathematical physics refers to development of mathematical methods for application to problems in physics. The Journal of Mathematical Physics defines this area as: "the application of mathematics to problems in physics and the development of mathematical methods suitable for such applications and...
. He has strongly influenced many graduate students and postdoctoral visitors 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...
, where he is a tenured Professor in the Department of Mathematics, and where he has supervised over 40 doctoral students.
Guillemin received a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in mathematics from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1962, after earlier completing his B. A. at Harvard in 1959, as well as an M. A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
at 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 1960. His thesis, entitled Theory of Finite G-Structures, was written under the direction of Shlomo Sternberg
Shlomo Sternberg
Shlomo Zvi Sternberg is a leading mathematician, known for his work in geometry, particularly symplectic geometry and the differential geometry of G-structures....
.
He was elected to 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...
in 1985. In 2003, he was awarded the Leroy P. Steele Prize for Lifetime Achievement by 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 is the author or co-author of numerous books and monographs, including a widely used textbook on differential topology
Differential topology
In mathematics, differential topology is the field dealing with differentiable functions on differentiable manifolds. It is closely related to differential geometry and together they make up the geometric theory of differentiable manifolds.- Description :...
, written jointly with Alan Pollack.
External links
- Victor Guillemin's personal web page