James Glimm

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James G. Glimm
James Glimm, Apr 1972 (headshot).jpg
Born
James Gilbert Glimm

(1934-03-24) March 24, 1934 (age 90)
Alma mater Columbia University
Known for Constructive quantum field theory
Awards Heineman Prize (1980)
Leroy P. Steele Prize (1993)
National Medal of Science (2002)
Scientific career
Fields Mathematics
Institutions Institute of Advanced Study
MIT
The Rockefeller University
New York University
Stony Brook University
Doctoral advisor Richard Kadison
Doctoral students

James Gilbert Glimm (born March 24, 1934) is an American mathematician, former president of the American Mathematical Society, and distinguished professor at Stony Brook University. He has made many contributions in the areas of pure and applied mathematics.

Contents

Life and career

Glimm discusses his contributions to the world of computer science through mathematical analysis and physics.

James Glimm was born in Peoria, Illinois, United States on March 24, 1934. [1] He received his BA in engineering from Columbia University in 1956. He continued on to graduate school at Columbia where he received his Ph.D. in mathematics in 1959; his advisor was Richard V. Kadison. [2] Glimm was at New York University, and at Rockefeller University, before arriving at Stony Brook University in 1989. [1]

He has been noted for contributions to C*-algebras, quantum field theory, partial differential equations, fluid dynamics, scientific computing, and the modeling of petroleum reservoirs. Together with Arthur Jaffe, he has founded a subject called constructive quantum field theory. His early work in the theory of operator algebras was seminal, and today the "Glimm algebras" that bear his name continue to play an important role in this area of research. [3] More recently, the United States Department of Energy adopted Glimm's front-track methodology for shock-wave calculations, e.g., simulating weapons performance. [4]

Glimm was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1984. He was an Invited Speaker of the ICM in 1970 at Nice [5] and a Plenary Speaker of the ICM in 1974 at Vancouver. [6] In 1993, Glimm was awarded the Leroy P. Steele Prize for his contribution to solving hyperbolic systems of partial differential equations. [7] He won the National Medal of Science in 2002 "For his original approaches and creative contribution to an array of disciplines in mathematical analysis and mathematical physics". [8] Starting January 1, 2007, he served a 2-year term as president of the American Mathematical Society. In 2012 he became a fellow of the American Mathematical Society. [9]

Appointments

YearsAppointments
1999-Staff Member, Computational Science Center, Brookhaven National Laboratory
1989-Distinguished Professor, SUNY at Stony Brook
1982-89Professor, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University
1974-82Professor, The Rockefeller University
1968-74Professor, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University
1960-68Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, MIT
1959-60Temporary Member, Institute for Advanced Study

Selected publications

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References

  1. 1 2 "AMS Presidents: James Glimm". American Mathematical Society.
  2. "Vita: James Glimm".
  3. "AMS Presidents: James Glimm". American Mathematical Society.
  4. "Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook". Archived from the original on June 4, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  5. Glimm, James. "Quantum field theory models." Archived December 7, 2017, at the Wayback Machine Actes, Congrès int. Math., Nice, 1970. Tome 3: 3–8.
  6. Glimm, James. "Analysis over infinite-dimensional spaces and applications to quantum field theory." Archived 2013-12-28 at the Wayback Machine Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians, Vancouver, 1974. vol. 1: 119–126.
  7. Timeline AMS Steel Prizes,
  8. "Nominations for President Elect" (PDF). Notices of the AMS.
  9. List of Fellows of the American Mathematical Society, retrieved 2013-01-19.