Hans-Joachim Bremermann
Encyclopedia
Hans-Joachim Bremermann was a German-American mathematician and biophysicist. He worked on computer science
and evolution
, introducing new ideas of how mating generates new gene combinations. Bremermann's limit
, named after him, is the maximum computational speed of a self-contained system in the material universe.
Bremermann was born in Bremen
, Germany
of parents Bernard Bremermann and Berta Wicke. He held chairs at the University of California at Berkeley in both mathematics
and biophysics
, being promoted to full professor
in 1966.
Bremermann's doctoral studies were undertaken at the University of Münster
, with his Staatsexamen in mathematics and physics
completed in 1951. In the same year his doctoral dissertation Die Charakterisierung von Regularitätsgebieten durch pseudokonvexe Funktionen and was to become a specialist in complex analysis. This was a special case of the Levi problem. He came to the United States in 1952 to a research associate position at Stanford University
. In 1953, he was appointed a research fellow at Harvard University
.
On 16 May 1954 Bremermann married Maria Isabel Lopez Perez-Ojed, a scholar of romance language and literature. He returned to Munster for 1954–55. After returning to the United States, he spent 1955–57 at the Institute for Advanced Study
in Princeton
. He was then appointed assistant professor at the University of Washington, Seattle for 1957–58.
R.W. Anderson writes:
In 1978 he gave the "What Physicists Do" series of lectures at Sonoma State University
, discussing physical limitations to mathematical understanding of physical and biological systems.
He continued work in mathematical biology through the 1980s on models of parasites and disease. He retired from the University of California in 1991.
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
and evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
, introducing new ideas of how mating generates new gene combinations. Bremermann's limit
Bremermann's limit
Bremermann's Limit, named after Hans-Joachim Bremermann, is the maximum computational speed of a self-contained system in the material universe. It is derived from Einstein's mass-energy equivalency and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, and is c2/h ≈ 1.36 × 1050 bits per second per...
, named after him, is the maximum computational speed of a self-contained system in the material universe.
Bremermann was born in Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
of parents Bernard Bremermann and Berta Wicke. He held chairs at the University of California at Berkeley in both mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and biophysics
Biophysics
Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems. Studies included under the branches of biophysics span all levels of biological organization, from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems...
, being promoted to full professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
in 1966.
Bremermann's doctoral studies were undertaken at the University of Münster
University of Münster
The University of Münster is a public university located in the city of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. The WWU is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, a society of Germany's leading research universities...
, with his Staatsexamen in mathematics and physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
completed in 1951. In the same year his doctoral dissertation Die Charakterisierung von Regularitätsgebieten durch pseudokonvexe Funktionen and was to become a specialist in complex analysis. This was a special case of the Levi problem. He came to the United States in 1952 to a research associate position at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. In 1953, he was appointed a research fellow 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...
.
On 16 May 1954 Bremermann married Maria Isabel Lopez Perez-Ojed, a scholar of romance language and literature. He returned to Munster for 1954–55. After returning to the United States, he spent 1955–57 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...
in Princeton
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
. He was then appointed assistant professor at the University of Washington, Seattle for 1957–58.
R.W. Anderson writes:
- "[Bremermann] continued to develop mathematical modelling as a tool to understanding complex (especially biological) systems for the rest of his life. His intellectual journey was marked by brilliant insight and foresight."
In 1978 he gave the "What Physicists Do" series of lectures at Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University is a public, coeducational business and liberal arts college affiliated with the California State University system. The main campus is located in Rohnert Park, California, United States and lies approximately south of Santa Rosa and north of San Francisco...
, discussing physical limitations to mathematical understanding of physical and biological systems.
He continued work in mathematical biology through the 1980s on models of parasites and disease. He retired from the University of California in 1991.