William J. LeVeque
Encyclopedia
William Judson LeVeque was an American mathematician
and administrator who worked primarily in number theory
. He was executive director
of the American Mathematical Society
during the 1970s and 1980s when that organization was growing rapidly and greatly increasing its use of computers in academic publishing
.
. He received his Bachelor of Arts
degree from the University of Colorado
in 1944, and a Master's degree
in 1945 and a Ph.D in 1947 from Cornell University
.
He was an instructor at Harvard University
from 1947 to 1949, then started at University of Michigan
as an instructor and rose to Professor. In 1970 he moved to the Claremont Graduate School. In 1977 he became executive director
of the American Mathematical Society
and remained there until his retirement in 1988.
After retirement LeVeque and his wife, Ann, took up sailing
and lived on their sailboat
for three years while they traveled from Narragansett Bay
to Grenada
. They then moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington
where he kept active in volunteer activities for the rest of his life.
He died December 1, 2007. His son Randall J. LeVeque
is a well known applied mathematician.
, specifically transcendental number
s, uniform distribution
, and Diophantine approximation
.
He wrote a number of number theory textbooks and reference books, which influenced the development of number theory in the United States. A long-term project was to update Leonard Eugene Dickson
's History of the Theory of Numbers. This project eventually produced a six-volume collection titled Reviews in Number Theory. The Special Libraries Association
's Physics-Astronomy-Mathematics Division awarded LeVeque its Division Award in 1978 for his contributions to the bibliography
of mathematics
.
The American Mathematical Society
grew rapidly during LeVeque's time as executive director
(1977–1988). Revenues tripled from $5 million in 1977 to $14.9 million in 1988. The Society began computerizing at a rapid rate during this period, with Mathematical Reviews
first becoming available electronically through existing academic dial-up services; this system later evolved in to MathSciNet. Most of the headquarters staff received computer terminals for use in the new operations.
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....
and administrator who worked primarily in number theory
Number theory
Number theory is a branch of pure mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers. Number theorists study prime numbers as well...
. He was executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
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...
during the 1970s and 1980s when that organization was growing rapidly and greatly increasing its use of computers in academic publishing
Academic publishing
Academic publishing describes the subfield of publishing which distributes academic research and scholarship. Most academic work is published in journal article, book or thesis form. The part of academic written output that is not formally published but merely printed up or posted is often called...
.
Life and education
LeVeque was born August 9, 1923 in Boulder, ColoradoBoulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
. He received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from the University of Colorado
University of Colorado System
The University of Colorado system is a system of public universities in Colorado consisting of three universities in four campuses: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and University of Colorado Denver in downtown Denver and at the Anschutz Medical Campus in...
in 1944, and a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in 1945 and a Ph.D in 1947 from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
.
He was an instructor at 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...
from 1947 to 1949, then started at University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
as an instructor and rose to Professor. In 1970 he moved to the Claremont Graduate School. In 1977 he became executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
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...
and remained there until his retirement in 1988.
After retirement LeVeque and his wife, Ann, took up sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
and lived on their sailboat
Sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails. The term covers a variety of boats, larger than small vessels such as sailboards and smaller than sailing ships, but distinctions in the size are not strictly defined and what constitutes a sailing ship, sailboat, or a...
for three years while they traveled from Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
to Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
. They then moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington
Bainbridge Island, Washington
Bainbridge Island is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States, and the name of the island in Puget Sound on which the city is situated...
where he kept active in volunteer activities for the rest of his life.
He died December 1, 2007. His son Randall J. LeVeque
Randall J. LeVeque
Randall J. LeVeque is a Professor of Applied Mathematics at University of Washington who works in many fields including numerical analysis computational fluid dynamics, and mathematical theory of conservation laws. Among other contributions, he has devised a numerical technique called immersed...
is a well known applied mathematician.
Work
LeVeque's research interest was number theoryNumber theory
Number theory is a branch of pure mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers. Number theorists study prime numbers as well...
, specifically transcendental number
Transcendental number
In mathematics, a transcendental number is a number that is not algebraic—that is, it is not a root of a non-constant polynomial equation with rational coefficients. The most prominent examples of transcendental numbers are π and e...
s, uniform distribution
Uniform distribution
-Probability theory:* Discrete uniform distribution* Continuous uniform distribution-Other:* "Uniform distribution modulo 1", see Equidistributed sequence*Uniform distribution , a type of species distribution* Distribution of military uniforms...
, and Diophantine approximation
Diophantine approximation
In number theory, the field of Diophantine approximation, named after Diophantus of Alexandria, deals with the approximation of real numbers by rational numbers....
.
He wrote a number of number theory textbooks and reference books, which influenced the development of number theory in the United States. A long-term project was to update Leonard Eugene Dickson
Leonard Eugene Dickson
Leonard Eugene Dickson was an American mathematician. He was one of the first American researchers in abstract algebra, in particular the theory of finite fields and classical groups, and is also remembered for a three-volume history of number theory.-Life:Dickson considered himself a Texan by...
's History of the Theory of Numbers. This project eventually produced a six-volume collection titled Reviews in Number Theory. The Special Libraries Association
Special Libraries Association
Special Libraries Association is an international professional association for library and information professionals working in business, government, law, finance, non-profit, and academic organizations and institutions....
's Physics-Astronomy-Mathematics Division awarded LeVeque its Division Award in 1978 for his contributions to the bibliography
Bibliography
Bibliography , as a practice, is the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology...
of mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
.
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...
grew rapidly during LeVeque's time as executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
(1977–1988). Revenues tripled from $5 million in 1977 to $14.9 million in 1988. The Society began computerizing at a rapid rate during this period, with Mathematical Reviews
Mathematical Reviews
Mathematical Reviews is a journal and online database published by the American Mathematical Society that contains brief synopses of many articles in mathematics, statistics and theoretical computer science.- Reviews :...
first becoming available electronically through existing academic dial-up services; this system later evolved in to MathSciNet. Most of the headquarters staff received computer terminals for use in the new operations.