Earle Raymond Hedrick
Encyclopedia
Earle Raymond Hedrick was an American
mathematician
and a vice-president of the University of California
.
Hedrick was born in Union City
, Indiana
.
After undergraduate work at the University of Michigan
, he obtained a Master of Arts from Harvard University
. With a Parker fellowship, he went to Europe and obtained his PhD from Göttingen University in Germany under the supervision of David Hilbert
in 1901. He then spent several months at the École Normale Supérieure
in France, where he became acquainted with Edouard Goursat
, Jacques Hadamard
, Jules Tannery
, Émile Picard and Paul Émile Appell
, before becoming an instructor at Yale University
. In 1903, he became professor at the University of Missouri
.
He moved in 1920 to UCLA to become head of the department of mathematics. In 1933, he was giving the first graduate lecture on mathematics at UCLA. He became provost
and vice-president of the University of California in 1937. He humorously called his appointment The Accident, and told jokingly after this event, "I no longer have any intellectual interests —I just sit and talk to people." He played in fact a very important role in making of the University of California a leading institution. He retired from the UCLA faculty in 1942 and accepted a visiting professorship at Brown University
. Soon after the beginning of this new appointment, he suffered a lung infection. He died at the Rhode Island hospital in Providence
, Rhode Island
. One residence hall of the UCLA campus was named after him in 1963.
Elementarmathematik vom höheren Stanpunkte aus in English. His activity in the Mathematical Association of America and in the National Council of Mathematics Teachers had also an important impact on mathematics education in the United States. He also authored or co-authored various textbooks of mathematics, and was general editor of the Series of Mathematical Texts which comprises about 40 volumes.
in 1916 and was its first president. The Earle Raymond Hedrick lectures were established by the Mathematical Association in America in his honor. He also served as vice-president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
, and played an important role at the American Mathematical Society
both as president (1929-1930) and as editor of the Bulletin of the Americal Mathematical Society, a role he assumed during 17 years. He also work as editor for the Engineering Science Series.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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....
and a vice-president of the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
.
Hedrick was born in Union City
Union City, Indiana
Union City is a city in Wayne Township, Randolph County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 3,584.Union City was a stop along the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, a forerunner of the Pennsylvania Railroad that connected Pittsburgh to...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
.
After undergraduate work at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, he obtained a Master of Arts from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. With a Parker fellowship, he went to Europe and obtained his PhD from Göttingen University in Germany under the supervision of David Hilbert
David Hilbert
David Hilbert was a German mathematician. He is recognized as one of the most influential and universal mathematicians of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Hilbert discovered and developed a broad range of fundamental ideas in many areas, including invariant theory and the axiomatization of...
in 1901. He then spent several months at the École Normale Supérieure
École Normale Supérieure
The École normale supérieure is one of the most prestigious French grandes écoles...
in France, where he became acquainted with Edouard Goursat
Edouard Goursat
Édouard Jean-Baptiste Goursat was a French mathematician, now remembered principally as an expositor for his Cours d'analyse mathématique, which appeared in the first decade of the twentieth century. It set a standard for the high-level teaching of mathematical analysis, especially complex analysis...
, Jacques Hadamard
Jacques Hadamard
Jacques Salomon Hadamard FRS was a French mathematician who made major contributions in number theory, complex function theory, differential geometry and partial differential equations.-Biography:...
, Jules Tannery
Jules Tannery
Jules Tannery was a French mathematician who notably studied under Charles Hermite and was the PhD advisor of Jacques Hadamard....
, Émile Picard and Paul Émile Appell
Paul Émile Appell
Paul Appell , also known as Paul Émile Appel, was a French mathematician and Rector of the University of Paris...
, before becoming an instructor 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 1903, he became professor at the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
.
He moved in 1920 to UCLA to become head of the department of mathematics. In 1933, he was giving the first graduate lecture on mathematics at UCLA. He became provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
and vice-president of the University of California in 1937. He humorously called his appointment The Accident, and told jokingly after this event, "I no longer have any intellectual interests —I just sit and talk to people." He played in fact a very important role in making of the University of California a leading institution. He retired from the UCLA faculty in 1942 and accepted a visiting professorship at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
. Soon after the beginning of this new appointment, he suffered a lung infection. He died at the Rhode Island hospital in Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. One residence hall of the UCLA campus was named after him in 1963.
Research
Earle Raymond Hedrick worked on partial differential equations and on the theory of nonanalytic functions of complex variables. He also did work in applied mathematics, in particular on a generalization of Hooke's law and on transmission of heat in steam boilers. With Oliver Dimon Kellogg he authored a text on the applications of calculus to mechanics.Pedagogical activity
Earle Raymond Hedrick translated in English the Cours d'Analyse of Edouard Goursat providing American students with an up to date (for the beginning of the twentieth century) textbook of analysis. He also translated the first part of the textbook of Felix KleinFelix Klein
Christian Felix Klein was a German mathematician, known for his work in group theory, function theory, non-Euclidean geometry, and on the connections between geometry and group theory...
Elementarmathematik vom höheren Stanpunkte aus in English. His activity in the Mathematical Association of America and in the National Council of Mathematics Teachers had also an important impact on mathematics education in the United States. He also authored or co-authored various textbooks of mathematics, and was general editor of the Series of Mathematical Texts which comprises about 40 volumes.
Administrative activities
Earle Raymond Hedrick was involved in the creation of the Mathematical Association of AmericaMathematical Association of America
The Mathematical Association of America is a professional society that focuses on mathematics accessible at the undergraduate level. Members include university, college, and high school teachers; graduate and undergraduate students; pure and applied mathematicians; computer scientists;...
in 1916 and was its first president. The Earle Raymond Hedrick lectures were established by the Mathematical Association in America in his honor. He also served as vice-president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
, and played an important role at the American Mathematical Society
American Mathematical Society
The American Mathematical Society is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to the interests of mathematical research and scholarship, which it does with various publications and conferences as well as annual monetary awards and prizes to mathematicians.The society is one of the...
both as president (1929-1930) and as editor of the Bulletin of the Americal Mathematical Society, a role he assumed during 17 years. He also work as editor for the Engineering Science Series.
Professional societies
Besides the societies where Earl Raymond Hedrick had important administrative activities, he was also member of:- Society for the Promotion of Electrical Engineering
- American Society of Mechanical EngineersAmerican Society of Mechanical EngineersThe American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....
- American Institute of Electrical EngineersAmerican Institute of Electrical EngineersThe American Institute of Electrical Engineers was a United States based organization of electrical engineers that existed between 1884 and 1963, when it merged with the Institute of Radio Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .- History :The 1884 founders of the...
Textbooks
- Applications of the calculus to mechanics with Oliver Dimon Kellogg (Boston: Ginn, 1909)
- Solid Geometry with Walter Burton Ford and Charles Ammerman (New York: Macmillan, 1913)
- Analytic geometry and principles of algebra with Alexander Ziwet (New York: Macmillan, 1913)
- Constructive geometry; exercises in elementary geometric drawing (New York : Macmillan, 1916)
- Logarithmic and trigonometric tables (New York : Macmillan, 1920)