Peter Stefan
Encyclopedia
Peter Štefan (1941, Bratislava
, Slovak Republic – 18 June 1978, Tryfan
, Wales
) was a Slovak mathematician
who was known for his works on dynamical system
s and mathematical entropy
.
He attended school in Bratislava, and then Charles University in Prague
. In 1968, he was involved in politics in Czechoslovakia
, supporting the political movement that sought to humanize Communist rule during the Prague Spring
. As he was visiting the University of Warwick
, though, the Soviet Union
and several Warsaw Pact
allies invaded the country, installing a Soviet-controlled regime. Štefan feared that he would be in danger if he returned, and he decided to stay in Britain
. He remained in Warwick
, where he studied for a Ph.D. which was awarded in 1973. His thesis was on Accessibility and singular foliations, a topic which is important in control theory
and in the mathematical theory of entropy.
He died while climbing Tryfan
on June 18, 1978.
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, Slovak Republic – 18 June 1978, Tryfan
Tryfan
Tryfan is a mountain in Snowdonia, Wales, forming part of the Glyderau group. It is one of the most recognisable peaks in the region, having a classic pointed shape with rugged crags. At 3,010 feet above sea level it is the fifteenth highest mountain in Wales...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
) was a Slovak 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 was known for his works on dynamical system
Dynamical system
A dynamical system is a concept in mathematics where a fixed rule describes the time dependence of a point in a geometrical space. Examples include the mathematical models that describe the swinging of a clock pendulum, the flow of water in a pipe, and the number of fish each springtime in a...
s and mathematical entropy
Entropy
Entropy is a thermodynamic property that can be used to determine the energy available for useful work in a thermodynamic process, such as in energy conversion devices, engines, or machines. Such devices can only be driven by convertible energy, and have a theoretical maximum efficiency when...
.
He attended school in Bratislava, and then Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
. In 1968, he was involved in politics in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, supporting the political movement that sought to humanize Communist rule during the Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
. As he was visiting the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
, though, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and several Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
allies invaded the country, installing a Soviet-controlled regime. Štefan feared that he would be in danger if he returned, and he decided to stay in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He remained in Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
, where he studied for a Ph.D. which was awarded in 1973. His thesis was on Accessibility and singular foliations, a topic which is important in control theory
Control theory
Control theory is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and mathematics that deals with the behavior of dynamical systems. The desired output of a system is called the reference...
and in the mathematical theory of entropy.
He died while climbing Tryfan
Tryfan
Tryfan is a mountain in Snowdonia, Wales, forming part of the Glyderau group. It is one of the most recognisable peaks in the region, having a classic pointed shape with rugged crags. At 3,010 feet above sea level it is the fifteenth highest mountain in Wales...
on June 18, 1978.