Wu Wenjun
Encyclopedia
Wu Wenjun (born May 12, 1919) is a Chinese
mathematician
and academician
at the Chinese Academy of Sciences
(CAS).
of Zhejiang
. Wu was born in Shanghai
, China
where he would later graduate from Chiao Tung University (currently Xi'an Jiaotong University
and Shanghai Jiao Tong University
) in 1940. In 1945, Wu taught several months at Hangchow University
(aka Zhijiang University
, 之江大学, later merged into Zhejiang University
) in Hangzhou
.
In 1947, he went to France
for further study at the University of Strasbourg
. In 1949, he received his PhD, for his thesis Sur les classes caractéristiques des structures fibrées sphériques, written under the direction of Charles Ehresmann
. Afterwards, he did some work in Paris with René Thom
and discovered the Wu class and Wu formula in algebraic topology. In 1951 he was appointed a post at Peking University
. However, Wu may have been among a wave of recalls of Chinese academics working in the West following Chiang Kai-shek
's ouster from the mainland in 1949, according to eyewitness testimony by Marcel Berger
, as he one day disappeared from France without saying a word to anyone.
Along with Yuan Longping
, he was awarded the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award
by President Jiang Zemin
in 2000, when this highest scientific and technological prize in China began to be awarded. He also received the Shaw Prize
in 2006.
, algebraic geometry
, game theory
, history of mathematics
, automated theorem proving
. His most important contributions are to algebraic topology
. The Wu class and the Wu formula are named after him. In the field of automated theorem proving
, he is known for Wu's method.
He is also active in the field of history of Chinese mathematics, he was the chief editor
of the ten volume Grand Series of Chinese Mathematics, covering from antiquity to late Qin dynasty
.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
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....
and academician
Academician
The title Academician denotes a Full Member of an art, literary, or scientific academy.In many countries, it is an honorary title. There also exists a lower-rank title, variously translated Corresponding Member or Associate Member, .-Eastern Europe and China:"Academician" may also be a functional...
at the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chinese Academy of Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Sciences , formerly known as Academia Sinica, is the national academy for the natural sciences of the People's Republic of China. It is an institution of the State Council of China. It is headquartered in Beijing, with institutes all over the People's Republic of China...
(CAS).
Biography
Wu's ancestral hometown is Jiashan, in JiaxingJiaxing
Jiaxing is a prefecture-level city in northern Zhejiang province of Eastern China. Lying on the Grand Canal of China, Jiaxing borders Hangzhou to the southwest, Huzhou to the west, Shanghai to the northeast, and the province of Jiangsu to the north....
of Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
. Wu was born in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
where he would later graduate from Chiao Tung University (currently Xi'an Jiaotong University
Xi'an Jiaotong University
Xi'an Jiaotong University , also known as Xi'an Chiao Tung University, is a top Chinese university located in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, People's Republic of China. Xi'an Jiaotong University is located in Xi'an, the ancient capital of China...
and Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University or SJTU), sometimes referred to as Shanghai Jiaotong University , is a top public research university located in Shanghai, China. Shanghai Jiao Tong University is known as one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in China...
) in 1940. In 1945, Wu taught several months at Hangchow University
Zhijiang Campus, Zhejiang University
Zhijiang Campus , is a campus of Zhejiang University, which is located in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China.- Introduction :...
(aka Zhijiang University
Hangchow University Historic Site
Hangchow University Historic Site is a famous National Historic Site & Cultural Heritage under State Protection of the People's Republic of China. - Introduction :...
, 之江大学, later merged into Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University , sometimes referred to as Zheda, is a national university in China. Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's oldest institutions of higher education...
) in Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
.
In 1947, he went to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for further study at the University of Strasbourg
University of Strasbourg
The University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is the largest university in France, with about 43,000 students and over 4,000 researchers....
. In 1949, he received his PhD, for his thesis Sur les classes caractéristiques des structures fibrées sphériques, written under the direction of Charles Ehresmann
Charles Ehresmann
Charles Ehresmann was a French mathematician who worked on differential topology and category theory. He is known for work on the topology of Lie groups, the jet concept , and his seminar on category theory.He attended the École Normale Supérieure in Paris before performing one year of military...
. Afterwards, he did some work in Paris with René Thom
René Thom
René Frédéric Thom was a French mathematician. He made his reputation as a topologist, moving on to aspects of what would be called singularity theory; he became world-famous among the wider academic community and the educated general public for one aspect of this latter interest, his work as...
and discovered the Wu class and Wu formula in algebraic topology. In 1951 he was appointed a post at Peking University
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
. However, Wu may have been among a wave of recalls of Chinese academics working in the West following Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
's ouster from the mainland in 1949, according to eyewitness testimony by Marcel Berger
Marcel Berger
Marcel Berger is a French mathematician, doyen of French differential geometry, and a former director of the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques , France...
, as he one day disappeared from France without saying a word to anyone.
Honors and awards
In 1957, he was elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In 1990, he was elected as an academician of the Third World Academy of Sciences.Along with Yuan Longping
Yuan Longping
Yuan Longping is a Chinese agricultural scientist and educator, known for developing the first hybrid rice varieties in the 1970s. His "hybrid rice" has since been grown in dozens of countries in Africa, America, and Asia—providing a robust food source in high famine risk areas. He is called "The...
, he was awarded the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award
State Preeminent Science and Technology Award
Started in 2000, The State Preeminent Science and Technology Award of China is the highest prize annually awarded by the state president to scientists in China...
by President Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin is a former Chinese politician, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, as President of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, and as Chairman of the Central Military Commission from 1989 to 2005...
in 2000, when this highest scientific and technological prize in China began to be awarded. He also received the Shaw Prize
Shaw Prize
The Shaw Prize is an annual award first presented by the Shaw Prize Foundation in 2004. Established in 2002 in Hong Kong, it honours living "individuals, regardless of race, nationality and religious belief, who have achieved significant breakthrough in academic and scientific research or...
in 2006.
Research
The research of Wu includes the following fields: algebraic topologyAlgebraic topology
Algebraic topology is a branch of mathematics which uses tools from abstract algebra to study topological spaces. The basic goal is to find algebraic invariants that classify topological spaces up to homeomorphism, though usually most classify up to homotopy equivalence.Although algebraic topology...
, algebraic geometry
Algebraic geometry
Algebraic geometry is a branch of mathematics which combines techniques of abstract algebra, especially commutative algebra, with the language and the problems of geometry. It occupies a central place in modern mathematics and has multiple conceptual connections with such diverse fields as complex...
, game theory
Game theory
Game theory is a mathematical method for analyzing calculated circumstances, such as in games, where a person’s success is based upon the choices of others...
, history of mathematics
History of mathematics
The area of study known as the history of mathematics is primarily an investigation into the origin of discoveries in mathematics and, to a lesser extent, an investigation into the mathematical methods and notation of the past....
, automated theorem proving
Automated theorem proving
Automated theorem proving or automated deduction, currently the most well-developed subfield of automated reasoning , is the proving of mathematical theorems by a computer program.- Decidability of the problem :...
. His most important contributions are to algebraic topology
Algebraic topology
Algebraic topology is a branch of mathematics which uses tools from abstract algebra to study topological spaces. The basic goal is to find algebraic invariants that classify topological spaces up to homeomorphism, though usually most classify up to homotopy equivalence.Although algebraic topology...
. The Wu class and the Wu formula are named after him. In the field of automated theorem proving
Automated theorem proving
Automated theorem proving or automated deduction, currently the most well-developed subfield of automated reasoning , is the proving of mathematical theorems by a computer program.- Decidability of the problem :...
, he is known for Wu's method.
He is also active in the field of history of Chinese mathematics, he was the chief editor
of the ten volume Grand Series of Chinese Mathematics, covering from antiquity to late Qin dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
.