Mathematicians from Illinois

1. Mathematicians from Illinois By Melissa Patterson “In many cases, mathematics is an escape from reality. The mathematician finds his own monastic niche and happiness in pursuits that are disconnected from external affairs. Some practice it as if using a drug. Chess sometimes plays a similar role. In their unhappiness over the events of this world, some immerse themselves in a kind of self-sufficiency in mathematics. (Some have engaged in it for this reason alone.)”-Ulam Stanislaw

2. Abraham Adrian Albert • From Chicago, Illinois • Graduated from John Marshall High School in 1922. • Graduated from the University of Chicago with a Ph. D. for a doctoral dissertation, Algebra and their Radicals and Division Algebras. • Studied Reimann matrices at Princeton for nine months

3. Albert’s Family • Parents: Elias Albert (father) and Fannie Fradkin (mother) • Four siblings • Married Freda Davis in 1927 • 3 children-Roy, Alan and Nancy • 5 grandchildren

4. Abraham Adrian Albert’s Career • 1929-1931-worked as an instructor at Columbia University • 1931-1937 Worked at the University of Chicago as assistant professor. • 1937-promoted to associate professor • 1941-promoted to full professor • 1958-1962- Department chairman • Worked at Northwestern University as associate director of the Applied Mathematics group.

5. Mathematical contributions • Worked on associative and non-associative algebras, and Reimann Matrices. • In 1937, he published Modern Higher Algebra • In 1939, Structure of Algebras was published • Received a Cole prize in Algebra from the American mathematical Society.

6. OtherAchievements • President of the American Mathematical Society • Chairmen of the Mathematics section of the National Research Council • Elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, and the Argentine Academy of Sciences.

7. Herstein on Albert “He viewed the profession of mathematician with a great deal of pride and he did everything he could to have it recognized as he felt it deserved.”

8. David Harold Blackwell • Centralia, Illinois • Enjoyed geometry, but did not like algebra and trigonometry in school. • Entered the University of Illinois at age 16 and graduated with a doctorate in 1941.

9. Blackwell’s family • Parents: Grover Blackwell (father) and Mabel Johnson (mother). • Oldest of four children, he had two brothers and one sister. • Married Ann Madison.

10. Blackwell’s Career • Taught at Rosenwald Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton for one year. • Taught Southern University at Baton Rouge and Clark College in Atlanta. • In 1944 became an instructor at Howard University. • Promoted to Head of the Mathematics department and then Chairmen of the Department of Statistics. • Finished career at the University of California in 1989.

11. Mathematical contributions • In 1954, Theory of Games and Statistical Decisions was published. • Published work in Infinite games and analytic sets. • Found a game theory proof of the Kuratowski Reduction Theorem and connecting the areas of game theory and topology.

12. Other Achievements • 1965-elected to the National Academy of Sciences. • Awarded the John von Neumann Theory Prize from the Operations Research Society of America. • Received the R.A. Fisher Award from the committee of Presidents of Statistical Societies.

13. How he felt about math “It became clear that (mathematics) was not simply a few things that I liked. The whole subject was just beautiful.”-Blackwell.

14. Jesse Ernest Wilkins Jr. • Chicago, Illinois • Youngest student to enter University of Chicago. He was 13. • Received doctorate when he was 19. • Then continued to study at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton.

15. Wilkin’s Family • Parents: J Ernest Wilkins Sr.(father) and Lucile Beatrice Robinson (mother). • Married Gloria Stewart. • Had two children: Sharon and J. Ernest III.

16. Wilkin’s Career • Taught at Tuskegee Institute. • Worked on the Manhattan Project at the University of Chicago. • Mathematician at the American Optical Company and then at the United Nuclear Corporation of America. • Manager of the Mathematics and Physics department and then of Research and Development. • Distinguished professor of Applied Mathematical Physics at Howard University. • Vice President and Deputy General Manager for Science and Engineering at EG&G. • Worked as a fellow and consultant at the Argonne national Laboratory. • In 1990, he became a Distinguished Professor of Applied Mathematics and Mathematical Physics at Clark Atlanta University.

17. Mathematical Contributions • Wrote over 50 papers. • Did work on the gamma ray penetration, which was used in designing nuclear reactors and radiation shields • Also did work with heat transfer.

18. Other Achievements • Elected to the American association for the Advancement of Science, a Fellowship of the American Nuclear Society, the National Academy of Engineering and the Honorary membership of the National Association of Mathematicians. • President of the American Nuclear Society. • On the Council of the American Mathematical Society. • Awarded the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal by the U.S. Army.

19. Other Mathematicians for Illinois • Walter Andrew Shewhart- New Canton, Illinois. • Alston Scott Householder-Rockford, Illinois. • Gilbert Ames Bliss, Richard Wesley Hamming, Vera Pless-Chicago, Illinois. • Joseph Leo Doob, William Werner Boone-Urbana, Illinois.

20. Who’s your favorite Mathematician? • Find out athttp://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/MathQuiz/

21. Bibliography • O’Connor, John J. and Robertson, Edward F.The MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive. http://www-groups.dcs.st- and.ac.uk/~history/BirthplaceMaps/Cou ntries/USA.html

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