Alex Wilkie
Encyclopedia
Alex Wilkie FRS is a British
mathematician
known for his contributions to Model theory
and logic
. Previously Reader in Mathematical Logic at the University of Oxford
, he was appointed to the Fielden Chair of Pure Mathematics
at the University of Manchester
in 2007.
Wilkie attended Aylesbury Grammar School
and went on to gain his BSc in mathematics with first class honours from University College London
in 1969, his M Sc (in mathematical logic) from the University of London in 1970, and his PhD
from the Bedford College, University of London in 1973 under the supervision of Wilfrid Hodges
with a dissertation entitled Models of Number Theory. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2001. To quote the citation
After his PhD he went on to an appointment as a lecturer in mathematics at Leicester University from 1972 to 1973, then a research fellow at the Open University
from 1973 until 1978. He spent two periods as a junior lecturer in mathematics at Oxford University (1978–80 and 1981-2) with (1980-1) as a visiting assistant professor at Yale University
. In 1980 Wilkie solved Tarski's high school algebra problem
.
In October 1982 Wilkie was appointed as a research fellow in the department of mathematics at the University of Paris VII, then returned to England the following year to take up a three year SERC (now EPSRC) advanced research fellowship at the University of Manchester. After two years he was appointed lecturer in the Department of Mathematics. In 1986 he went on to Oxford where he was appointed to the readership in mathematical logic there which had become vacant upon the retirement of Robin Gandy
. He remained in this post until appointment to the Fielden Chair at Manchester.
Wilkie received the Carol Karp
Prize (the highest award made by the Association of Symbolic Logic, every five years) jointly with Ehud Hrushovski
in 1993. He was elected to the Council of the London Mathematical Society
in 2007, vice-president of the Association for Symbolic Logic (2006) and president of the Association for Symbolic Logic in 2009.
Wilkie married Dr. Catrin Roberts in 1987 and they have two children; Owen (b.1987), currently a student at the University of Kent, Canterbury, and Rhiannon (b.1989), a student at the University of Leeds.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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....
known for his contributions to Model theory
Model theory
In mathematics, model theory is the study of mathematical structures using tools from mathematical logic....
and logic
Mathematical logic
Mathematical logic is a subfield of mathematics with close connections to foundations of mathematics, theoretical computer science and philosophical logic. The field includes both the mathematical study of logic and the applications of formal logic to other areas of mathematics...
. Previously Reader in Mathematical Logic at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, he was appointed to the Fielden Chair of Pure Mathematics
Fielden Chair of Pure Mathematics
The Fielden Chair of Pure Mathematics is an endowed professorial position in the School of Mathematics, University of Manchester, England.In 1870 Samuel Fielden, a wealthy mill owner from Todmorden, donated £150 to Owens College for the teaching of evening classes and a further £3000 for the...
at the University of Manchester
School of Mathematics, University of Manchester
The School of Mathematics at the University of Manchester is one of the largest mathematics departments in the United Kingdom, with around 80 academic staff and an undergraduate intake of roughly 400 a year and another 200 postgraduate students...
in 2007.
Wilkie attended Aylesbury Grammar School
Aylesbury Grammar School
Aylesbury Grammar School is a single-sex male grammar school in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, which educates 1,250 pupils.-Admissions:As a selective state school, its entry requirements are dictated by the exam taken at the age of 10-11...
and went on to gain his BSc in mathematics with first class honours from University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
in 1969, his M Sc (in mathematical logic) from the University of London in 1970, and his PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from the Bedford College, University of London in 1973 under the supervision of Wilfrid Hodges
Wilfrid Hodges
Wilfrid Augustine Hodges is a British mathematician, known for his work in model theory. He was Professor of Mathematics at Queen Mary, University of London from 1987 to 2006, and is the author of numerous books on logic....
with a dissertation entitled Models of Number Theory. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2001. To quote the citation
- Wilkie has combined logical techniques and differential- geometric techniques to establish fundamental Finiteness Theorems for sets definable using the exponential function, and more general Pfaffian functionPfaffian functionIn mathematics, the Pfaffian functions are a certain class of functions introduced by Askold Georgevich Khovanskiǐ in the 1970s. They are named after German mathematician Johann Pfaff.-Basic definition:...
s. The results, going far beyond those obtained by conventional methods, have already had striking applications to Lie groups.
After his PhD he went on to an appointment as a lecturer in mathematics at Leicester University from 1972 to 1973, then a research fellow at the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
from 1973 until 1978. He spent two periods as a junior lecturer in mathematics at Oxford University (1978–80 and 1981-2) with (1980-1) as a visiting assistant professor at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. In 1980 Wilkie solved Tarski's high school algebra problem
Tarski's high school algebra problem
In mathematical logic, Tarski's high school algebra problem was a question posed by Alfred Tarski. It asks whether there are identities involving addition, multiplication, and exponentiation over the positive integers that cannot be proved using eleven axioms about these operations that are taught...
.
In October 1982 Wilkie was appointed as a research fellow in the department of mathematics at the University of Paris VII, then returned to England the following year to take up a three year SERC (now EPSRC) advanced research fellowship at the University of Manchester. After two years he was appointed lecturer in the Department of Mathematics. In 1986 he went on to Oxford where he was appointed to the readership in mathematical logic there which had become vacant upon the retirement of Robin Gandy
Robin Gandy
Robin Oliver Gandy was a British mathematician and logician.He was a friend, student, and associate of Alan Turing, having been supervised by Turing during his PhD at the University of Cambridge , where they worked together.Educated at Abbotsholme, Robin Gandy took two years of the Mathematical...
. He remained in this post until appointment to the Fielden Chair at Manchester.
Wilkie received the Carol Karp
Carol Karp
Carol Karp, née Carol Ruth Vander Velde , was an American mathematician of Dutch ancestry, best known for her work on infinitary logic...
Prize (the highest award made by the Association of Symbolic Logic, every five years) jointly with Ehud Hrushovski
Ehud Hrushovski
Ehud Hrushovski is a mathematical logician. He is a Professor of Mathematics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.His father, Benjamin Harshav, is Emeritus Professor in Yale University and Tel Aviv University to Comparative Literature and a poet....
in 1993. He was elected to the Council of the London Mathematical Society
London Mathematical Society
-See also:* American Mathematical Society* Edinburgh Mathematical Society* European Mathematical Society* List of Mathematical Societies* Council for the Mathematical Sciences* BCS-FACS Specialist Group-External links:* * *...
in 2007, vice-president of the Association for Symbolic Logic (2006) and president of the Association for Symbolic Logic in 2009.
Wilkie married Dr. Catrin Roberts in 1987 and they have two children; Owen (b.1987), currently a student at the University of Kent, Canterbury, and Rhiannon (b.1989), a student at the University of Leeds.