Carol Karp
Encyclopedia
Carol Karp, née Carol Ruth Vander Velde (10 August 1926, Forest Grove
, Ottawa County, Michigan
20 August 1972, Maryland
), was an American mathematician of Dutch ancestry, best known for her work on infinitary logic
. She also played viola
in an all-women orchestra.
Born in Michigan
to a farming supply store manager and a housewife, Carol and her siblings graduated from high school in Ohio. After that, she graduated from Manchester College, Indiana and went back to Michigan to study at Michigan State University
(then called Michigan State College). In 1951 she married Arthur Karp and took his last name. Carol Karp earned a Ph.D. in California while teaching in New Mexico. At the University of Maryland
she helped enlarge the mathematical logic department in professors and graduate students, and obtained a National Science Foundation
grant for undergraduate research. In 1969 she was diagnosed with breast cancer
but remained active until her death three years later.
The Karp Prize of the Association of Symbolic Logic is named in her honor. The cash prize was established in 1973 and is awarded every five years for a "connected body of research, most of which has been completed in the time since the previous prize was awarded."
Jamestown Charter Township, Michigan
Jamestown Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,062 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, Ottawa County, Michigan
Ottawa County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 238,314 people, 81,662 households, and 61,328 families residing in the county. The population density was 421 people per square mile . There were 86,856 housing units at an average density of 154 per square mile...
20 August 1972, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
), was an American mathematician of Dutch ancestry, best known for her work on infinitary logic
Infinitary logic
An infinitary logic is a logic that allows infinitely long statements and/or infinitely long proofs. Some infinitary logics may have different properties from those of standard first-order logic. In particular, infinitary logics may fail to be compact or complete. Notions of compactness and...
. She also played viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
in an all-women orchestra.
Born in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
to a farming supply store manager and a housewife, Carol and her siblings graduated from high school in Ohio. After that, she graduated from Manchester College, Indiana and went back to Michigan to study at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
(then called Michigan State College). In 1951 she married Arthur Karp and took his last name. Carol Karp earned a Ph.D. in California while teaching in New Mexico. At the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
she helped enlarge the mathematical logic department in professors and graduate students, and obtained a National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
grant for undergraduate research. In 1969 she was diagnosed with breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
but remained active until her death three years later.
The Karp Prize of the Association of Symbolic Logic is named in her honor. The cash prize was established in 1973 and is awarded every five years for a "connected body of research, most of which has been completed in the time since the previous prize was awarded."
External links
- "Carol Karp", Biographies of Women Mathematicians, Agnes Scott CollegeAgnes Scott CollegeAgnes Scott College is a private undergraduate college in the United States. Agnes Scott's campus lies in downtown Decatur, Georgia, nestled inside the perimeter of the bustling metro-Atlanta area....