Ronald G. Douglas
Encyclopedia
Ronald George Douglas is an American
mathematician
, best known for his work on operator algebras.
Douglas was born in Osgood, Indiana
. He was an undergraduate at the Illinois Institute of Technology
, and received his Ph.D.
in 1962 from Louisiana State University
as a student of Pasquale Porcelli. He was at the University of Michigan
until 1969, when he moved to the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Beginning in 1986 he moved into university administration, eventually becoming Vice Provost at Stony Brook in 1990, and Provost at Texas A&M University
from 1996 until 2002. Currently he is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Texas A&M. He has three children, including Michael R. Douglas
, a noted string theorist
.
Among his best-known contributions to science is a 1977 paper with Lawrence G. Brown and Peter A. Fillmore, which introduced techniques from algebraic topology
into the theory of operator algebras. This work was an important precursor to noncommutative geometry
as later developed by Alain Connes
among others.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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....
, best known for his work on operator algebras.
Douglas was born in Osgood, Indiana
Osgood, Indiana
Osgood is a town in Center Township, Ripley County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,624 at the 2010 census. In 1999, the community received a $23 million bequest from the Gilmore and Golda Reynolds Foundation, which was established by two lifelong Osgood residents to assist the town...
. He was an undergraduate at the Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly called Illinois Tech or IIT, is a private Ph.D.-granting university located in Chicago, Illinois, with programs in engineering, science, psychology, architecture, business, communications, industrial technology, information technology, design, and law...
, and 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...
in 1962 from Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
as a student of Pasquale Porcelli. He was 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...
until 1969, when he moved to the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Beginning in 1986 he moved into university administration, eventually becoming Vice Provost at Stony Brook in 1990, and Provost at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
from 1996 until 2002. Currently he is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Texas A&M. He has three children, including Michael R. Douglas
Michael R. Douglas
Michael R. Douglas is an American theoretical physicist and professor currently at Stony Brook University.Michael R. Douglas was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the son of Nancy and Ronald G. Douglas, a mathematician specializing in operator algebras. He received his bachelor's degree in physics...
, a noted string theorist
String theory
String theory is an active research framework in particle physics that attempts to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity. It is a contender for a theory of everything , a manner of describing the known fundamental forces and matter in a mathematically complete system...
.
Among his best-known contributions to science is a 1977 paper with Lawrence G. Brown and Peter A. Fillmore, which introduced techniques from 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...
into the theory of operator algebras. This work was an important precursor to noncommutative geometry
Noncommutative geometry
Noncommutative geometry is a branch of mathematics concerned with geometric approach to noncommutative algebras, and with construction of spaces which are locally presented by noncommutative algebras of functions...
as later developed by Alain Connes
Alain Connes
Alain Connes is a French mathematician, currently Professor at the Collège de France, IHÉS, The Ohio State University and Vanderbilt University.-Work:...
among others.