Norman Arthur Wiegmann
Encyclopedia
Norman Arthur Wiegmann (13 April 1920–14 November 2001) was a mathematician specializing in modern algebra, in particular linear algebra
and matrix theory, who spent a major part of his career teaching at the George Washington University
and other universities. He never married, and did not have any children.
.
He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California
in mathematics earning a Phi Beta Kappa Key in 1941. Two years later in 1943 he earned his Masters degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
in mathematics. In 1947 he earned his doctorate from University of Wisconsin–Madison, also in mathematics and under the supervision of Cyrus MacDuffee. His doctoral thesis was entitled "The Theory of Normal Matrices with Some Analogs of the Generalized Principal Axis Transformation."
. From 1941-1947 he served as a teaching assistant at this institution. Upon receiving his doctorate, Wiegmann taught at the University of Michigan
from 1947 to 1951, and then made a change of career, working as a research mathematician at the National Bureau of Standards in Washington, DC from 1951 to 1953. After leaving this job he went back to teaching, at the Catholic University of America as an associate and later a full professor in mathematics from 1953 to 1960. During this time he guided a number of students to earning their doctorate degrees in mathematics as the director of their dissertations, including Dominick Finn, Matthew Audibert, and Harry Hock. In 1960 Wiegmann decided to leave the Catholic University to join The George Washington University, also in Washington, DC. He served as a professor specializing in modern algebra, in particular linear algebra and matrix theory, with an office in the heart of the university's campus. While there he published a number of papers on mathematics including "Canonical Forms For Certain Matrices Under Unitary Congruence," in the Canadian Journal of Mathematics for July 1960, "Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Unitary Similarity," in the Journal of Australian Mathematical Society in the 1961/1962 volume, and "Trace Properties of Semigroups of Matrices with Quaternion Elements" in the Duke Mathematical Journal in 1962.
After leaving The George Washington University Wiegmann moved back to his native California and served as the chair of the mathematics department at the California State University
in Dominguez Hills.
, and Sigma Xi
.
Linear algebra
Linear algebra is a branch of mathematics that studies vector spaces, also called linear spaces, along with linear functions that input one vector and output another. Such functions are called linear maps and can be represented by matrices if a basis is given. Thus matrix theory is often...
and matrix theory, who spent a major part of his career teaching at the George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
and other universities. He never married, and did not have any children.
Background and Education
Dr. Wiegmann was born on April 13, 1920 in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in mathematics earning a Phi Beta Kappa Key in 1941. Two years later in 1943 he earned his Masters degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
in mathematics. In 1947 he earned his doctorate from University of Wisconsin–Madison, also in mathematics and under the supervision of Cyrus MacDuffee. His doctoral thesis was entitled "The Theory of Normal Matrices with Some Analogs of the Generalized Principal Axis Transformation."
Career
Wiegmann's took his first teaching position while earning his master and doctoral degrees at the University of Wisconsin–MadisonUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. From 1941-1947 he served as a teaching assistant at this institution. Upon receiving his doctorate, Wiegmann taught 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...
from 1947 to 1951, and then made a change of career, working as a research mathematician at the National Bureau of Standards in Washington, DC from 1951 to 1953. After leaving this job he went back to teaching, at the Catholic University of America as an associate and later a full professor in mathematics from 1953 to 1960. During this time he guided a number of students to earning their doctorate degrees in mathematics as the director of their dissertations, including Dominick Finn, Matthew Audibert, and Harry Hock. In 1960 Wiegmann decided to leave the Catholic University to join The George Washington University, also in Washington, DC. He served as a professor specializing in modern algebra, in particular linear algebra and matrix theory, with an office in the heart of the university's campus. While there he published a number of papers on mathematics including "Canonical Forms For Certain Matrices Under Unitary Congruence," in the Canadian Journal of Mathematics for July 1960, "Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Unitary Similarity," in the Journal of Australian Mathematical Society in the 1961/1962 volume, and "Trace Properties of Semigroups of Matrices with Quaternion Elements" in the Duke Mathematical Journal in 1962.
After leaving The George Washington University Wiegmann moved back to his native California and served as the chair of the mathematics department at the 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 Dominguez Hills.
Awards
Wiegmann was a member of the honor organizations of Phi Beta Kappa, the American Mathematical SocietyAmerican 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...
, and Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society is a non-profit honor society which was founded in 1886 at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a handful of graduate students. Members elect others on the basis of their research achievements or potential...
.
Personal life
Wiegmann never married nor did he have any children; he had a nephew, Richard, who lived in Nebraska. He died of leukemia in November 2001.Publications
Wiegmann conducted research throughout his adult life. His Ph.D. dissertation was entitled The theory of Normal Matrices with some Analogs of Generalized Principle Axis Transformation. His publications in later life include:- "Some Analogs of the Generalized Principal Axis Transformation," published in the Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society, Vol. 54, 1948.
- “Normal Products of Matrices,” published in the Duke Mathematical Journal, Vol. 15, No. 3, September, 1948.
- “A Note on Infinite Normal Matrices,” published in the Duke mathematical Journal, Vol. 16, No. 4, December, 1949.
- “A Note on Pair of Normal Matrices with Property L,” published in the Proceedings of the American Mathematics Society, Vol. 4, No. 1, February, 1953.
- “Computational Experience in Solving Linear Programs.” co- authored with A. Hoffman, M. Mannos, and D. Sokolowsky, published in the first issue of the Journal of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Vol. 1, 1953.
- “Some Theorems on Matrices with Real Quaternion Elements,” published in the Canadian Journal of Mathematics, Vol. 7, April, 1955.
- “Some Generalization of Burnside’s Theorem,” published in the Canadian Journal of Mathematics, Vol. 9, 1957,
- “The Transpose of a Matrix,” in Portugalia Mathematicae, Vol. 18, No. 3-4.
- “Canonical Forms For Certain Matrices Under Unitary Congruence,” co-authored with Joseph Stander, Published in the Canadian Journal of Mathematics, Vol. 12, July, 1960.
- “Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Unitary Similarity, published in the Journal of the Australian Mathematical Society, Vol. 2, 1961/62.
- “Trace Properties of Semigroups of Matrices with Quaternion Elements,” published in the Duke Mathematical Journal, Vol. 29, No. 1, 1962.
- “Infinite Quasi-Normal Matrices,” published in the Canadian Journal of Mathematics, Vol. 25, No. 4, 1973.