Evelyn Boyd Granville
Encyclopedia
Evelyn Boyd Granville was the second African-American woman in the U.S. to receive a PhD
in mathematics
. (The first was Euphemia Haynes
who was awarded her PhD from Catholic University
in 1943.)
Evelyn Boyd Granville was born on May 1, 1924 in Washington D.C. Her parents were William and Julia Boyd, and she had one older sister, Doris. Though she grew up in the midst of the Great Depression
, Granville claims she “was not aware of [her] family ever being without the necessities of life.”[1] Granville excelled in the segregated school system of Washington D.C. Liking mathematics best of all, she dreamed of one day being a mathematics teacher. She was the salutatorian of her junior high school class and graduated as one of five valedictorians of Dunbar High School.
With financial support from her aunt and a small partial scholarship from Phi Delta Kappa, Granville entered Smith College
in the fall of 1941. She majored in mathematics and physics, but also took a keen interest in astronomy. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and to Sigma Xi and graduated summa cum laude in 1945. Granville then began graduate studies at Yale University
, where she was awarded several scholarships and fellowships, including the Julius Rosenwald Fellowship and the Atomic Energy Commission
Predoctoral Fellowship. Her doctoral dissertation concentrated on functional analysis and was titled On Laguerre Series in the Complex Domain. Granville was awarded a Ph. D. in mathematics in 1949, making her one of the first African-American women to earn this degree.
Granville then began to look for a full-time teaching position. She applied for a position in New York City, but was apparently rejected because of her gender and/or race.[2] Instead, she accepted an associate professor position at Fisk University
, a noted black college in Nashville, Tennessee
. There she taught Vivienne Malone Mayes and Etta Zuber Falconer, who would go on to become the seventh and eleventh African-American women to earn Ph.D.’s in mathematics.
After two years of teaching, Granville went to work as an applied mathematician for the Diamond Ordnance Fuse Laboratories. She worked there for four years, consulting with scientists and engineers about the development of missile fuses. At DOFL, Granville met many other mathematicians, and developed an interest in applications of computer programming. From 1956 to 1960, she worked for IBM on the Project Vanguard and Project Mercury space programs, analyzing orbits and developing computer procedures. She later reflected that it was “the most interesting job of [her] lifetime.”
In 1960, Granville married the Reverend Gamaliel Mansfield Collins and moved to Los Angeles
. In L.A., Granville accepted the position of Research Specialist with the Space and Information Systems Division of the North American Aviation
Company, but returned to IBM
the following year. Both positions involved trajectory analysis and orbit computation. In 1967, Granville’s marriage ended in divorce. At the same time, IBM was cutting staff in Los Angeles, so Granville applied for a teaching position at California State University
in Los Angeles.
She moved to California State University at Los Angeles in 1967 as a full professor of mathematics and married Edward V. Granville in 1970. After retiring from California State in 1984 she joined the faculty of the University of Texas at Tyler
as professor and chair of mathematics. There she developed elementary school math enrichment programs.
One of three African American women honored by the National Academy of Science
in 1999, she has been awarded honorary degree
s by Smith College and Lincoln University
.
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 mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. (The first was Euphemia Haynes
Euphemia Haynes
Euphemia Lofton Haynes was an American mathematician and educator. She was the first African-American woman to gain a PhD in mathematics, from the Catholic University of America in 1943.-Life:Euphemia Lofton was the daughter of William S. Lofton, a dentist and financier, and Lavinia Day Lofton...
who was awarded her PhD from Catholic University
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in 1943.)
Evelyn Boyd Granville was born on May 1, 1924 in Washington D.C. Her parents were William and Julia Boyd, and she had one older sister, Doris. Though she grew up in the midst of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, Granville claims she “was not aware of [her] family ever being without the necessities of life.”[1] Granville excelled in the segregated school system of Washington D.C. Liking mathematics best of all, she dreamed of one day being a mathematics teacher. She was the salutatorian of her junior high school class and graduated as one of five valedictorians of Dunbar High School.
With financial support from her aunt and a small partial scholarship from Phi Delta Kappa, Granville entered Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
in the fall of 1941. She majored in mathematics and physics, but also took a keen interest in astronomy. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and to Sigma Xi and graduated summa cum laude in 1945. Granville then began graduate studies 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...
, where she was awarded several scholarships and fellowships, including the Julius Rosenwald Fellowship and the Atomic Energy Commission
United States Atomic Energy Commission
The United States Atomic Energy Commission was an agency of the United States government established after World War II by Congress to foster and control the peace time development of atomic science and technology. President Harry S...
Predoctoral Fellowship. Her doctoral dissertation concentrated on functional analysis and was titled On Laguerre Series in the Complex Domain. Granville was awarded a Ph. D. in mathematics in 1949, making her one of the first African-American women to earn this degree.
Granville then began to look for a full-time teaching position. She applied for a position in New York City, but was apparently rejected because of her gender and/or race.[2] Instead, she accepted an associate professor position at Fisk University
Fisk University
Fisk University is an historically black university founded in 1866 in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. The world-famous Fisk Jubilee Singers started as a group of students who performed to earn enough money to save the school at a critical time of financial shortages. They toured to raise funds to...
, a noted black college in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. There she taught Vivienne Malone Mayes and Etta Zuber Falconer, who would go on to become the seventh and eleventh African-American women to earn Ph.D.’s in mathematics.
After two years of teaching, Granville went to work as an applied mathematician for the Diamond Ordnance Fuse Laboratories. She worked there for four years, consulting with scientists and engineers about the development of missile fuses. At DOFL, Granville met many other mathematicians, and developed an interest in applications of computer programming. From 1956 to 1960, she worked for IBM on the Project Vanguard and Project Mercury space programs, analyzing orbits and developing computer procedures. She later reflected that it was “the most interesting job of [her] lifetime.”
In 1960, Granville married the Reverend Gamaliel Mansfield Collins and moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. In L.A., Granville accepted the position of Research Specialist with the Space and Information Systems Division of the North American Aviation
North American Aviation
North American Aviation was a major US aerospace manufacturer, responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, the X-15 rocket plane, and the XB-70, as well as Apollo Command and Service...
Company, but returned to IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
the following year. Both positions involved trajectory analysis and orbit computation. In 1967, Granville’s marriage ended in divorce. At the same time, IBM was cutting staff in Los Angeles, so Granville applied for a teaching position at California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
in Los Angeles.
She moved to California State University at Los Angeles in 1967 as a full professor of mathematics and married Edward V. Granville in 1970. After retiring from California State in 1984 she joined the faculty of the University of Texas at Tyler
University of Texas at Tyler
The University of Texas at Tyler, also referred to as UT Tyler, is a coeducational public university located in Tyler, Texas. Founded in 1971, it is a component institution of the University of Texas System....
as professor and chair of mathematics. There she developed elementary school math enrichment programs.
One of three African American women honored by the National Academy of Science
United 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...
in 1999, she has been awarded honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
s by Smith College and Lincoln University
Lincoln University
Lincoln University or University of Lincoln or variations may refer to:in England*University of Lincolnin New Zealand*Lincoln University, New Zealandin the United States*Lincoln University...
.
External links
- "Evelyn Boyd Granville", 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....
, (My Life as a Mathematician, by Evelyn Boyd Granville) - Evelyn Boyd Granville, second African American woman mathematician
- Evelyn Granville's oral history video excerpts at The National Visionary Leadership Project