Edwin E. Moise
Encyclopedia
Edwin Evariste Moise
was an American mathematician and mathematics education reformer. After his retirement from mathematics he became a literary critic of 19th century English poetry
and had several notes published in that field.
.
He graduated from Tulane University
in 1940. He worked as a cryptanalyst and Japanese translator for the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations during World War II
.
He received his Ph.D.
degree in mathematics from the University of Texas in 1947. His dissertation was titled "An indecomposable continuum which is homeomorphic to each of its nondegenerate subcontinua," a topic in continuum theory, and was written under the direction of R. L. Moore. In his dissertation Moise coined the term pseudo-arc
.
from 1947 to 1960. He was James B. Conant Professor of education and mathematics at Harvard University
from 1960 to 1971. He held a Distinguished Professorship at Queens College, City University of New York
from 1971 to 1987.
Moise started working on 3-manifolds while at the University of Michigan
. During 1949–1951 he held an appointment at the Institute for Advanced Study
during which he proved Moise's theorem
that every 3-manifold can be triangulated
in an essentially unique way.
Moise joined the School Mathematics Study Group
when it started in 1958, as a member of the geometry writing team. The team produced several course outlines and sample pages for a 10th grade geometry
course, and then Moise and Floyd L. Downs wrote a geometry textbook, based on the team's approach, that was published in 1964. The textbook used metric postulates instead of Euclid's postulates, a controversial approach supported by some mathematicians such as Saunders Mac Lane
but opposed by others such as Alexander Wittenberg and Morris Kline
.
Moise was a president of the Mathematical Association of America
, a vice-president of the American Mathematical Society
, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
, and was on the Executive Committee of the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction.
Moise retired from Queen's College in 1987 and started a second career studying 19th century English poetry
. He had six short notes of literary criticism
published.
In the middle and late 1960s, Moise was among the few members of the senior faculty at Harvard University who strongly and publicly opposed the Vietnam War.
Moise died in New York City
on December 18, 1998, aged 79.
was an American mathematician and mathematics education reformer. After his retirement from mathematics he became a literary critic of 19th century English poetry
English poetry
The history of English poetry stretches from the middle of the 7th century to the present day. Over this period, English poets have written some of the most enduring poems in Western culture, and the language and its poetry have spread around the globe. Consequently, the term English poetry is...
and had several notes published in that field.
Early life and education
Edwin E. Moise was born December 22, 1918 in New Orleans, LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
He graduated from Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
in 1940. He worked as a cryptanalyst and Japanese translator for the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He received his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
degree in mathematics from the University of Texas in 1947. His dissertation was titled "An indecomposable continuum which is homeomorphic to each of its nondegenerate subcontinua," a topic in continuum theory, and was written under the direction of R. L. Moore. In his dissertation Moise coined the term pseudo-arc
Pseudo-arc
In general topology, the pseudo-arc is the simplest nondegenerate hereditarily indecomposable continuum. Pseudo-arc is an arc-like homogeneous continuum. R.H...
.
Career
Moise taught at the University of MichiganUniversity 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 1960. He was James B. Conant Professor of education and mathematics at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
from 1960 to 1971. He held a Distinguished Professorship at Queens College, City University of New York
Queens College, City University of New York
Queens College, located in Flushing, Queens, New York City, is one of the senior colleges of the City University of New York. It is also the fifth oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning. The college's seventy seven acre campus is located in the heart of the...
from 1971 to 1987.
Moise started working on 3-manifolds while 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...
. During 1949–1951 he held an appointment at the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
during which he proved Moise's theorem
Moise's theorem
In geometric topology, a branch of mathematics, Moise's theorem, proved by , states that any topological 3-manifold has an essentially unique piecewise-linear structure and smooth structure....
that every 3-manifold can be triangulated
Triangulation (topology)
In mathematics, topology generalizes the notion of triangulation in a natural way as follows:A triangulation of a topological space X is a simplicial complex K, homeomorphic to X, together with a homeomorphism h:K\to X....
in an essentially unique way.
Moise joined the School Mathematics Study Group
School Mathematics Study Group
The School Mathematics Study Group was an American academic think tank focused on the subject of reform in mathematics education. Directed by Edward G...
when it started in 1958, as a member of the geometry writing team. The team produced several course outlines and sample pages for a 10th grade geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
course, and then Moise and Floyd L. Downs wrote a geometry textbook, based on the team's approach, that was published in 1964. The textbook used metric postulates instead of Euclid's postulates, a controversial approach supported by some mathematicians such as Saunders Mac Lane
Saunders Mac Lane
Saunders Mac Lane was an American mathematician who cofounded category theory with Samuel Eilenberg.-Career:...
but opposed by others such as Alexander Wittenberg and Morris Kline
Morris Kline
Morris Kline was a Professor of Mathematics, a writer on the history, philosophy, and teaching of mathematics, and also a popularizer of mathematical subjects.Kline grew up in Brooklyn and in Jamaica, Queens...
.
Moise was a president of the Mathematical Association of America
Mathematical Association of America
The Mathematical Association of America is a professional society that focuses on mathematics accessible at the undergraduate level. Members include university, college, and high school teachers; graduate and undergraduate students; pure and applied mathematicians; computer scientists;...
, a vice-president of the American Mathematical Society
American 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...
, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
, and was on the Executive Committee of the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction.
Moise retired from Queen's College in 1987 and started a second career studying 19th century English poetry
English poetry
The history of English poetry stretches from the middle of the 7th century to the present day. Over this period, English poets have written some of the most enduring poems in Western culture, and the language and its poetry have spread around the globe. Consequently, the term English poetry is...
. He had six short notes of literary criticism
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
published.
In the middle and late 1960s, Moise was among the few members of the senior faculty at Harvard University who strongly and publicly opposed the Vietnam War.
Moise died in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on December 18, 1998, aged 79.