Emil Grosswald
Encyclopedia
Emil Grosswald was a Romania
n-American
mathematician
who worked primarily in number theory
. His career is closely associated with that of his teacher, Hans Rademacher
.
, Romania
. He received a Master's degree
from the University of Bucharest
in 1933.
Grosswald was Jewish, and fled from the Nazis to Paris
in the late 1930s, then to Orléans
, then through Spain
to Cuba
where he spent the rest of World War II
. He moved to Puerto Rico
in 1946 and then to the United States
in 1948. He received his PhD
under Hans Rademacher
from the University of Pennsylvania
in 1950.
Grosswald died April 11, 1989 in Narberth, Pennsylvania
.
, were published under the pseudonym E. G. Garnea.
After receiving his PhD
in 1950, Grosswald taught at the University of Pennsylvania
from 1952 to 1968 and then moved to Temple University
and stayed until his retirement in 1980. He also held positions at the University of Saskatchewan
(1950), Institute for Advanced Study
(1951), the Technion (1980–1981), Swarthmore College
(1982), and the University of Pennsylvania
(1984).
Grosswald completed some works of his teacher Hans Rademacher
, who died in 1969. Rademacher had prepared notes for an Earle Raymond Hedrick
Lecture in Boulder, Colorado
in 1963 on Dedekind sum
s, but fell ill, and Grosswald gave the lecture for him.
After Rademacher's death, Grosswald edited and completed the notes and published them in the Carus Mathematical Monographs
series as Dedekind Sums.
He also edited for publication Rademacher's posthumous textbook Topics in Analytic Number Theory.
Grosswald was elected to the Board of Governors of the Mathematical Association of America
for 1965–1968. Temple University
's Mathematics Department annually sponsors the Emil Grosswald Memorial Lectures.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n-American
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....
who worked primarily in number theory
Number theory
Number theory is a branch of pure mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers. Number theorists study prime numbers as well...
. His career is closely associated with that of his teacher, Hans Rademacher
Hans Rademacher
Hans Adolph Rademacher was a German mathematician, known for work in mathematical analysis and number theory.-Biography:...
.
Life and education
Grosswald was born on December 15, 1912 in BucharestBucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. He received a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from the University of Bucharest
University of Bucharest
The University of Bucharest , in Romania, is a university founded in 1864 by decree of Prince Alexander John Cuza to convert the former Saint Sava Academy into the current University of Bucharest.-Presentation:...
in 1933.
Grosswald was Jewish, and fled from the Nazis to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in the late 1930s, then to Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
, then through Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
where he spent the rest of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He moved to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
in 1946 and then to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1948. He received his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
under Hans Rademacher
Hans Rademacher
Hans Adolph Rademacher was a German mathematician, known for work in mathematical analysis and number theory.-Biography:...
from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
in 1950.
Grosswald died April 11, 1989 in Narberth, Pennsylvania
Narberth, Pennsylvania
Narberth is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,282 at the 2010 census.-History:Narberth is located on a parcel of land originally deeded to Edward Rees , who arrived from Wales in 1682. A portion of this original tract became the farm of Edward R...
.
Career
Grosswald's first three scientific papers, written while he was in CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, were published under the pseudonym E. G. Garnea.
After receiving his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1950, Grosswald taught at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
from 1952 to 1968 and then moved to Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
and stayed until his retirement in 1980. He also held positions at the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
(1950), Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
(1951), the Technion (1980–1981), Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
(1982), and the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
(1984).
Grosswald completed some works of his teacher Hans Rademacher
Hans Rademacher
Hans Adolph Rademacher was a German mathematician, known for work in mathematical analysis and number theory.-Biography:...
, who died in 1969. Rademacher had prepared notes for an Earle Raymond Hedrick
Earle Raymond Hedrick
Earle Raymond Hedrick , was an American mathematician and a vice-president of the University of California.Hedrick was born in Union City, Indiana....
Lecture in Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
in 1963 on Dedekind sum
Dedekind sum
In mathematics, Dedekind sums, named after Richard Dedekind, are certain sums of products of a sawtooth function, and are given by a function D of three integer variables. Dedekind introduced them to express the functional equation of the Dedekind eta function. They have subsequently been much...
s, but fell ill, and Grosswald gave the lecture for him.
After Rademacher's death, Grosswald edited and completed the notes and published them in the Carus Mathematical Monographs
Carus Mathematical Monographs
The Carus Mathematical Monographs is a monograph series published by the Mathematical Association of America. Books in this series are intended to appeal to a wide range of readers in mathematics and science...
series as Dedekind Sums.
He also edited for publication Rademacher's posthumous textbook Topics in Analytic Number Theory.
Grosswald was elected to the Board of Governors of the Mathematical Association of America
Mathematical 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;...
for 1965–1968. Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
's Mathematics Department annually sponsors the Emil Grosswald Memorial Lectures.