[PPT] - A piece of pie for peace of Adhemar Bultheel Dept. Computer PowerPoint Presentation

SLIDE 1

A piece of pie for peace of π

Adhemar Bultheel

Dept. Computer Science, KU Leuven

Leuven, March 14, 2019

http://nalag.cs.kuleuven.be/papers/ade/PIDAG2019

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 1 / 31

SLIDE 2

The Big Three

Who are these?

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 2 / 31

SLIDE 3

The Big Three

What is the Link? Which does not fit?

Alfred Nobel John Charles Fields Niels Abel (1833-1896) SE (1863-1932) CA (1802-1829) NO

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 3 / 31

SLIDE 4

The Big Three

Three Mathematicians

G¨

sta Mittag-Leffler

John Charles Fields Niels Abel (1846-1927) SE (1863-1932) CA (1802-1829) NO

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Niels Abel (1802-1829)

Niels Abel

Proved that a 5th degree polynomial cannot be solved using a finite number of algebraic operations Abel died at the age of 26 from tuberculosis Won the prize of the French Adad´ emie (posthumously) in 1830 Mittag-Leffler organized a centenary conference in 1902 to which Fields attended

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 5 / 31

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Niels Abel (1802-1829), ´ Evariste Galois (1811-1832)

Niels Abel Evariste Galois Proved that a 5th degree polynomial cannot be solved using a finite number of algebraic operations Abel died at the age of 26 from tuberculosis Won the prize of the French Adad´ emie (posthumously) in 1830 Mittag-Leffler organized a centenary conference in 1902 to which Fields attended ´ Evariste Galois also tried to win the prize wrote ideas in prison (→ Galois theory) died in 1832 (age 20) after a duel over a woman

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 6 / 31

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G¨

sta Mittag-Leffler (1846-1927)

G¨

sta Mittag-Leffler

worked on theory of functions (complex analysis) defender of womens rights (Nobel Prize P&Marie Curie 1903) founder of Acta Mathematica became successfully businessman after retirement (1911)

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 7 / 31

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G¨

sta Mittag-Leffler (1846-1927)

G¨

sta Mittag-Leffler

had villa in Djursholm that attracted visiting scientists worldwide

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 7 / 31

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J.C. Fields (1863-1932)

J.C. Fields

Canadian mathematician (Harrington → Toronto)

rphan at 18 (father was tanner with leather shops)

worked on algebraic functions (1 book) mainly interested in promoting research in Canada visited Europe (Paris, G¨

ttingen, Berlin) as much as possible

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1914 WORLD WAR I

Leuven 1914

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1914 WORLD WAR I

Leuven Library 1914

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1914 WORLD WAR I

Leuven 1914

Belgium was invaded and Leuven destroyed manifest: ”Appeal of the 93” (signed by Planck and Klein) invasion and Leuven is all fake news (Hilbert and Carath´ eodory refused to sign) A cause of schism: some wanted to exclude the Germans from international scientific meetings, others wanted science to be above politics

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 11 / 31

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1918 Global (re)organization of science

1918 London and Paris leading to inaugural meeting of the International Research Council (IRC) in Brussels 1919 ´ Emile Picard elected president exclude Germany forever from scientific meetings Mathematics = Int. Math. Union (IMU) (president C. de la Vall´ ee-Poussin) to organize IMC 1920 in Strasbourg (without DE)

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 12 / 31

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1920 Strasbourg

E. Picard
C. de la Vall´

ee-Poussin G.H. Hardy and Mittag-Leffler tried to mollify ↔ Picard New IMC 1924 planned in the US (L.E. Dickson) split AMS about the boycott of DE Fields proposed to hold it in Toronto

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 13 / 31

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1924 Toronto

Toronto in 1924

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1924 Toronto

Toronto in 1924

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1924 Toronto

Toronto in 1924

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1924 Toronto

Toronto is approved (in US and CA) Fields starts crusade to get money uses his large network of colleagues and friends early 1924 leaves or Europe for personal diplomatic invites

ffice in London + Paris, is travel agency

wears out several secretaries sailed back to CA just before conference

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1924 Toronto

Organizing committee

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 18 / 31

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1924 Toronto

Associate committee

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1924 Toronto

Belgian representants

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1924 Toronto

Conference was big success 444 participants, 33 countries, 249 lectures BUT without the Germans Pincherle proposes to have the next meeting in Bologna 1928

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1924 Toronto post conference

Trans-Canada tourist train excursion (+ guide book) BAAS Fields joins to help and translate returns with angina pectoris several weeks out recovers and immediately starts with proceedings

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1924 Toronto post conference

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1924 Toronto Proceedings

proceedings = 2 volumes of over 800 pages published in 1928 700 copies sold after cost reduction remains surplus of $2,700 set aside for 2 medals awarded at a next IMC to two young mathematicians

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1928 Bologna

Salvatore Pincherle

Peace treaties were signed Germans allowed back in scientific unions also in IMU and IRC German boycot because IMC < IMU < IRC (Picard) Pincherle: ICM organized by Bologna University Next meeting Z¨ urich 1932

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Diplomacy and medals 1929-1932

Fields back to Europe for bilateral diplomacy meetings LMS, SMF, DMV, ... meanwhile collecting money for medals IMC 1932 (Z¨ urich) the IMU ceased to exist and dissolved at IMC 1936 (Oslo) was only re-established in 1951 after WWII

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 26 / 31

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Fields Medal

1932 Fields dies in Toronto from cerebral hemorrhage Synge takes over setting up the Fields Medal no reference to language, nationalities names 2-4 medals at IMC (IMU) every 4 years mathematicians under 40

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Fields Medal

Awarded first at IMC 1936 Oslo to Lars Ahlfors Jesse Douglas then interrupt till 1951

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 28 / 31

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Fields Medal

Belgian winners (so far) Pierre Deligne (1978) Jean Bourgain (1994)

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 29 / 31

SLIDE 31

John C. Fields and π-Day

J O H N C . F I E L D S 9 15 8 14 3 . 6 9 5 12 4 19 3 . 14 15 9 ≈ π

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 30 / 31

SLIDE 32

John C. Fields and π-Day

J O H N C . F I E L D S 9 15 14 3 . 6 5 12 4 19 3 . 14 15 9 ≈ π

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 30 / 31

SLIDE 33

John C. Fields and π-Day

J O H N C . F I E L D S 9 15 14 3 . 6 5 12 4 19 3 . 14 15 9 ≈ π

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 30 / 31

SLIDE 34

John C. Fields and π-Day

J O H N C . F I E L D S 9 15 14 3 . 6 5 12 4 19 3 . 14 15 9 ≈ π

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 30 / 31

SLIDE 35

John C. Fields and π-Day

J O H N C . F I E L D S 9 15 14 3 . 6 5 12 4 19 3 . 14 15 9 ≈ π

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 30 / 31

SLIDE 36

John C. Fields and π-Day

J O H N C . F I E L D S 9 15 14 3 . 6 5 12 4 19 3 . 14 15 9 ≈ π

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 30 / 31

SLIDE 37

John C. Fields and π-Day

J O H N C . F I E L D S 9 15 14 3 . 6 5 12 4 19 3 . 14 15 9 ≈ π

Adhemar Bultheel (KU leuven) A piece of pie for peace of π Leuven, March 14, 2019 30 / 31

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