Elliott Waters Montroll
Encyclopedia
Elliott Waters Montroll was an American
scientist
and mathematician
.
, and received his elementary and high school education at the Dormont Public Schools. In 1933 he entered the University of Pittsburgh
and in 1937 he received a BS degree in Chemistry
. From 1937 until 1939 he was a graduate assistant in the Mathematics Department of the University of Pittsburgh, and during the first semester of the school year 1939-1940 he carried out research in the Chemistry Department of Columbia University
. He was awarded a Ph.D in mathematics at the University of Pittsburgh in 1939, with a thesis Some Notes and Applications of the Characteristic Value Theory of Integral Equations in which he applied integral equations to the study of imperfect gases. A paper published jointly with Joseph E. Mayer in 1941 Statistical mechanics of imperfect gases also examined ideas developing out of his thesis.
where his work on the Ising model of a ferromagnet led him to solve certain Markov chain
problems. Following this he was a Research Associate at Cornell University
in 1941-42 where he began his studies of the problem of finding the frequency spectrum of elastic vibrations in crystal lattices. During 1942-43 Montroll was an instructor in physics at Princeton University
.
In 1943 Montroll was appointed as Head of the Mathematics Research Group at the Kellex Corporation in New York, working on programs associated with the Manhattan Project. In 1944 he went to the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, as adjunct professor of chemistry, then in 1946 he returned to the University of Pittsburgh as assistant, and then associate, professor of physics and mathematics. During this time he also served as head of the Physics Branch of the Office of Naval Research
from 1948 to 1950. In 1950 he was appointed as a research fellow at the Courant Institute in New York and finally, in 1951 he was appointed Research Professor in the Institute for Fluid Dynamics and Applied Mathematics at the University of Maryland
However, in 1960, he took the post of Director of General Sciences at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center
in Yorktown Heights, New York, and then in 1963 the position of Vice President for Research at the Institute for Defense Analysis in Washington, D.C.
In 1966 he returned to the academic world as Albert Einstein Professor of Physics, and the Director of the Institute for Fundamental Studies, at the University of Rochester
. After retirement, he accepted two further positions, one back at the University of Maryland and the other at the University of California, Irvine
(United States) in 1969, and to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1973. His work on traffic flow led to him winning (jointly) the Lanchester Prize of the Operations Research Society of America in 1959.
He was the father of ten including John Montroll
.
Has one sister Madelyn Montroll. Now Madelyn Todd.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
and 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....
.
Education
Elliott Montroll was born on May 4, 1916 in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and received his elementary and high school education at the Dormont Public Schools. In 1933 he entered the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
and in 1937 he received a BS degree in Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. From 1937 until 1939 he was a graduate assistant in the Mathematics Department of the University of Pittsburgh, and during the first semester of the school year 1939-1940 he carried out research in the Chemistry Department of Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. He was awarded a Ph.D in mathematics at the University of Pittsburgh in 1939, with a thesis Some Notes and Applications of the Characteristic Value Theory of Integral Equations in which he applied integral equations to the study of imperfect gases. A paper published jointly with Joseph E. Mayer in 1941 Statistical mechanics of imperfect gases also examined ideas developing out of his thesis.
Career
Montroll had an exceptionally varied career: was a Sterling Research Fellow at Yale UniversityYale 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...
where his work on the Ising model of a ferromagnet led him to solve certain Markov chain
Markov chain
A Markov chain, named after Andrey Markov, is a mathematical system that undergoes transitions from one state to another, between a finite or countable number of possible states. It is a random process characterized as memoryless: the next state depends only on the current state and not on the...
problems. Following this he was a Research Associate at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1941-42 where he began his studies of the problem of finding the frequency spectrum of elastic vibrations in crystal lattices. During 1942-43 Montroll was an instructor in physics at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
.
In 1943 Montroll was appointed as Head of the Mathematics Research Group at the Kellex Corporation in New York, working on programs associated with the Manhattan Project. In 1944 he went to the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, as adjunct professor of chemistry, then in 1946 he returned to the University of Pittsburgh as assistant, and then associate, professor of physics and mathematics. During this time he also served as head of the Physics Branch of the Office of Naval Research
Office of Naval Research
The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S...
from 1948 to 1950. In 1950 he was appointed as a research fellow at the Courant Institute in New York and finally, in 1951 he was appointed Research Professor in the Institute for Fluid Dynamics and Applied Mathematics 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...
However, in 1960, he took the post of Director of General Sciences at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center
Thomas J. Watson Research Center
The Thomas J. Watson Research Center is the headquarters for the IBM Research Division.The center is on three sites, with the main laboratory in Yorktown Heights, New York, 38 miles north of New York City, a building in Hawthorne, New York, and offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts.- Overview :The...
in Yorktown Heights, New York, and then in 1963 the position of Vice President for Research at the Institute for Defense Analysis in Washington, D.C.
In 1966 he returned to the academic world as Albert Einstein Professor of Physics, and the Director of the Institute for Fundamental Studies, at the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
. After retirement, he accepted two further positions, one back at the University of Maryland and the other at the University of California, Irvine
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
Honors
He was elected to the National Academy of SciencesUnited States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
(United States) in 1969, and to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1973. His work on traffic flow led to him winning (jointly) the Lanchester Prize of the Operations Research Society of America in 1959.
Personal life
He was married to Shirley Abrams.He was the father of ten including John Montroll
John Montroll
John Montroll is an American master origami artist and prolific author, well-known by paper-folding enthusiasts throughout the world.-Biography:John Montroll was born in Washington, D.C...
.
Has one sister Madelyn Montroll. Now Madelyn Todd.