Mina Rees

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Mina Spiegel Rees (born August 2, 1902 in Cleveland , Ohio , † October 25, 1997 in New York City ) was an American mathematician.

Life

Rees studied at Hunter College in New York City , where she graduated in 1923 with her mathematics degree "summa cum laude". In 1925 she made her master’s degree at Columbia University , where she was unofficially given to understand that as a woman, she would not be welcome in further doctoral studies. She taught mathematics as an instructor at Hunter High School, but then took a sabbatical to do her doctorate from 1929 with Leonard Dickson at the University of Chicago . In 1931 she received her doctorate (Division algebras associated with an equation whose group has four generators, American Journal of Mathematics, Vol. 54, 1932, p. 51) and became an assistant professor at Hunter College and an associate professor in 1940. During the Second World War, she worked from 1943 to coordinate the work of mathematicians for the war success of the Allies at the Applied Mathematics Panel of the Office of Scientific Research and Development of the US government in Washington, DC , and was very successful at it.

After the war she was with the Office of Naval Research , first as head of the mathematics department, then in 1952/53 as Deputy Science Director. In this role she was instrumental in promoting early computer projects in the early 1950s. From 1953 she was back at Hunter College (as dean of the faculty). In 1961 she became a professor at the newly founded City University of New York , where she was Provost 1968/69 and President of the Graduate School from 1969 to 1972 . In 1972 she retired.

In addition to her work in algebra at Dickson, she also worked on partial differential equations, for example in 1952 with Richard Courant on finite difference methods for nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations.

In 1971 she was the first woman president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science . For her work in World War II, she received the Certificate of Merit from the US President and a high British award (Kings Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom). In 1962 she received the Mathematical Association of America's Award of Distinguished Service . In 1983 she received the Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of Sciences . She was multiple honorary doctorates.

Publications (selection)

  • Mina Rees: Division algebras associated with an equation whose group has four generators . In: American Journal of Mathematics 54 . 1932, p. 51-65 .

literature

  • Rosamond Dana, Peter J. Hilton: Mina Rees. In: Donald J. Albers, GL Alexanderson (ed.) Mathematical People - Profiles and Interviews , pp. 255-268, Birkhäuser Vlg. Boston 1985, ISBN 3-7643-3191-7

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Rees in Albers, Alexanderson "Mathematical People" 1987
personal data
SURNAME Rees, Mina
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Rees, Mina Spiegel
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American mathematician
DATE OF BIRTH 2nd August 1902
PLACE OF BIRTH Cleveland , Ohio
DATE OF DEATH October 25, 1997
Place of death New York City