Yuan-Shih Chow
Encyclopedia
Yuan-Shih Chow (1924-), also known as Y.S.Chow or Zhou Yuanshen, is a Chinese American
probabilist
. Currently he is Professor Emeritus, Columbia University
, USA.
He is the former director-general of the Institute of Mathematics, Academia Sinica
, and the director of the Center of Applied Statistics, Nankai University
(Tianjin
). He is an academician of the Academia Sinica.
, Hubei Province on Sep 1, 1924. He entered the (National) Hechuan No.2 Meddile School (合川国立二中). But because of the Japanese invasion, he left his hometown and finished his high school education in Chongqing
- the capital of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War
. He became a student of the Department of Mathematics, National Chekiang University (Zhejiang University
) and he was a student of Su Buqing
. About 1949, he went to Taiwan
and taught Mathematics at the National Taiwan University
in Taipei
.
Jul, 1954, followed the advice from Chung Tao Yang
, Chow went to USA. He entered the University of Illinois and studied under the guidance from Joseph Leo Doob
. 1958, He received his PhD
. He became a staff at the IBM
Watson Research Laboratory, later at Columbia University till 1962. 1962 - 1968, He served for the Statistics Department, Purdue University
. 1968 - 1993, he was the Professor of Mathematical Statistics, Columbia University. He was also a visiting professor at different universities including the University of California at Berkeley, the National Central University
in Taiwan, the University of Heidelberg in Germany
. Now he is Professor Emeritus, Columbia University.
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
probabilist
Probabilist
A probabilist is either:* A follower of probabilism * A mathematician who practices probability theory; see List of mathematical probabilists...
. Currently he is Professor Emeritus, 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...
, USA.
He is the former director-general of the Institute of Mathematics, Academia Sinica
Academia Sinica
The Academia Sinica , headquartered in the Nangang District of Taipei, is the national academy of Taiwan. It supports research activities in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from mathematical and physical sciences, to life sciences, and to humanities and social sciences.Academia Sinica has...
, and the director of the Center of Applied Statistics, Nankai University
Nankai University
Nankai University , commonly known as Nankai, is a public research university based in Tianjin on mainland China. Founded in 1919 by educators Zhang Boling and Yan Fansun , Nankai University is a member of the Nankai serial schools. It is the alma mater of former Chinese Premier and key historical...
(Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
). He is an academician of the Academia Sinica.
Life
Chow was born in Zhouwan Village, Zhangnan County, XiangfanXiangfan
Xiangyang is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province of the People's Republic of China. It was formed from two famous ancient cities, Xiangyang and Fancheng...
, Hubei Province on Sep 1, 1924. He entered the (National) Hechuan No.2 Meddile School (合川国立二中). But because of the Japanese invasion, he left his hometown and finished his high school education 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 capital of China 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...
. He became a student of the Department of Mathematics, National Chekiang University (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...
) and he was a student of 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...
. About 1949, he went to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and taught Mathematics at the National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University is a national co-educational university located in Taipei, Republic of China . In Taiwan, it is colloquially known as "Táidà" . Its main campus is set upon 1,086,167 square meters in Taipei's Da'an District. In addition, the university has 6 other campuses in Taiwan,...
in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
.
Jul, 1954, followed the advice from Chung Tao Yang
Chung Tao Yang
Chung Tao Yang, or Chung-Tao Yang, Yang Zhongdao , was a notable Chinese American topologist...
, Chow went to USA. He entered the University of Illinois and studied under the guidance from Joseph Leo Doob
Joseph Leo Doob
Joseph Leo Doob was an American mathematician, specializing in analysis and probability theory.The theory of martingales was developed by Doob.-Early life and education:...
. 1958, He received his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
. He became a staff at the IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
Watson Research Laboratory, later at Columbia University till 1962. 1962 - 1968, He served for the Statistics Department, Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
. 1968 - 1993, he was the Professor of Mathematical Statistics, Columbia University. He was also a visiting professor at different universities including the University of California at Berkeley, the National Central University
National Central University
National Central University is a national comprehensive university in Taiwan .National Central University was founded in 1915 and originated in 258 CE at Nanjing, China. After NCU in Nanjing was renamed Nanjing University in 1949, NCU was re-established in Taiwan in 1962...
in Taiwan, the University of Heidelberg in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Now he is Professor Emeritus, Columbia University.
Membership
- Fellow, Institute of Mathematical StatisticsInstitute of Mathematical StatisticsThe Institute of Mathematical Statistics is an international professional and scholarly society devoted to the development, dissemination, and application of statistics and probability. The Institute currently has about 4,000 members in all parts of the world...
(1966 election) - Fellow, International Statistical InstituteInternational Statistical InstituteThe International Statistical Institute is a professional association of statisticians. The Institut International de Statistique or International Statistical Institute was founded in 1885 although there had been international congresses from 1853.. The Institute publishes a variety of books and...
(1980 election) - Academician, Academia SinicaAcademia SinicaThe Academia Sinica , headquartered in the Nangang District of Taipei, is the national academy of Taiwan. It supports research activities in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from mathematical and physical sciences, to life sciences, and to humanities and social sciences.Academia Sinica has...
(1974 election)
Books by him
- Probability Theory: Independence, Interchangeability, Martingales, (with Henry Teicher), Springer VerlagSpringer Science+Business Media- Selected publications :* Encyclopaedia of Mathematics* Ergebnisse der Mathematik und ihrer Grenzgebiete * Graduate Texts in Mathematics * Grothendieck's Séminaire de géométrie algébrique...
, ISBN 9780387406077 - The Theory of Optimal Stopping, with Herbert RobbinsHerbert RobbinsHerbert Ellis Robbins was an American mathematician and statistician who did research in topology, measure theory, statistics, and a variety of other fields. He was the co-author, with Richard Courant, of What is Mathematics?, a popularization that is still in print. The Robbins lemma, used in...
and David Siegmund, 1971
External links
- A Conversation with Yuan Shih Chow, abstract (English)
- A Conversation with Yuan Shih Chow pdf pdf version, full biography including photos, by Zhiliang Ying and Cun-Hui Zhang(English)
- Archive at Harvard University (English)
- Chow's biography from the website of East China Normal University(Chinese)
- Chow's résumé (Chinese)