Michel Loève
Encyclopedia
Michel Loève was a French American
probabilist
and a mathematical statistician
, of Palestinian Jew
ish origin. His name is known to probabilists and statisticians because of the Karhunen–Loève theorem and Karhunen–Loève transform.
Michel Loève was born in Jaffa, Palestine in 1907, during the Ottoman domination
there, in a Jewish family. Passed most of the childhood's years in Egypt
and received there his primary and secondary education in French schools. Later, after achieving the grades of B.L. in 1931 and A.B. in 1936, he studied mathematics
at the Université de Paris under Paul Lévy
. and received his Docteur ès Sciences
(Mathématiques) in 1941. In 1936 was employed as actuaire of the University of Lyon
.
Because of his Jewish origin, he was arrested during the German occupation of France and sent to Drancy internment camp
. Having survived the Holocaust, after the liberation became between 1944–1946 chief of researches at the Institut Henri Poincaré
at Paris University, then until 1948 worked at the University of London
.
After one term as a visiting professor at Columbia University
he accepted the position of Professor of Mathematics at Berkeley
, in 1955 adding the title Professor of Statistics
.
He is the author of one of the best known textbooks on measure-theoretic probability theory. He is memorialized via the Loève Prize
created by his widow Line.
French American
French Americans or Franco-Americans are Americans of French or French Canadian descent. About 11.8 million U.S. residents are of this descent, and about 1.6 million speak French at home.An additional 450,000 U.S...
probabilist
Probability theory
Probability theory is the branch of mathematics concerned with analysis of random phenomena. The central objects of probability theory are random variables, stochastic processes, and events: mathematical abstractions of non-deterministic events or measured quantities that may either be single...
and a mathematical statistician
Mathematical statistics
Mathematical statistics is the study of statistics from a mathematical standpoint, using probability theory as well as other branches of mathematics such as linear algebra and analysis...
, of Palestinian Jew
Palestinian Jew
A Palestinian Jew is a Jewish inhabitant of Palestine at various points in the region's history . Jews in Palestine prior to the establishment of the State of Israel are more commonly referred to as "Yishuv"...
ish origin. His name is known to probabilists and statisticians because of the Karhunen–Loève theorem and Karhunen–Loève transform.
Michel Loève was born in Jaffa, Palestine in 1907, during the Ottoman domination
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
there, in a Jewish family. Passed most of the childhood's years in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and received there his primary and secondary education in French schools. Later, after achieving the grades of B.L. in 1931 and A.B. in 1936, he studied 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...
at the Université de Paris under Paul Lévy
Paul Pierre Lévy
Paul Pierre Lévy was a Jewish French mathematician who was active especially in probability theory, introducing martingales and Lévy flights...
. and received his Docteur ès Sciences
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
(Mathématiques) in 1941. In 1936 was employed as actuaire of the University of Lyon
University of Lyon
The University of Lyon , located in Lyon and Saint Etienne, France, is a center for higher education and research comprising 16 institutions of higher education...
.
Because of his Jewish origin, he was arrested during the German occupation of France and sent to Drancy internment camp
Drancy internment camp
The Drancy internment camp of Paris, France, was used to hold Jews who were later deported to the extermination camps. 65,000 Jews were deported from Drancy, of whom 63,000 were murdered including 6,000 children...
. Having survived the Holocaust, after the liberation became between 1944–1946 chief of researches at the Institut Henri Poincaré
Institut Henri Poincaré
The Institut Henri Poincaré is a mathematical institute in Paris which has established itself over its eighty year history as an important meeting place for French and international mathematicians and theoretical physicists...
at Paris University, then until 1948 worked at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
.
After one term as a visiting professor at 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 accepted the position of Professor of Mathematics at Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, in 1955 adding the title Professor of Statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
.
He is the author of one of the best known textbooks on measure-theoretic probability theory. He is memorialized via the Loève Prize
Loève Prize
The Line and Michel Loève International Prize in Probability was created in 1992 in honor of Michel Loève by his widow Line. The prize, awarded every two years, is intended to recognize outstanding contributions by researchers in mathematical probability who are under 45 years old...
created by his widow Line.
