The early history of the Cornell Mathematics Department: A case study in the emergence of the American mathematical research community
type: Item
instance of: scholarly article
title: The early history of the Cornell Mathematics Department: A case study in the emergence of the American mathematical research community
zbMATH Open document ID: 0915.01028
author: Gary G. Cochell
published in: Historia Mathematica
publication date: 1999-02-23T00:00:00Z
review text: This well-documented study reports in its first part the foundation of Cornell University (Ithaca, New York) by telephone magnat Ezra Cornell (1807-1874) and historian Andrew Dickson White (1832-1918) in 1868. In its main part the paper examines the ensuing development of mathematics at Cornell from predominant undergraduate education up to German-inspired research level mathematics since around 1900. The decisive men in the math department were James Edward Oliver (1827-1895) and Virgil Snyder (1869-1950). Still, the typical problems of early American mathematics -- over-burdening with teaching and a lack of zeal for research or at least for the publication of the results -- prevented Cornell from stepping into a leadership role in the American mathematical research community after the relative decline of the first leader-department at Johns Hopkins (Baltimore), which had resulted from J. Sylvester's departure in 1883. Cornell had, however, a pioneering role in the education of women since the 1890s.
reviewed by: Reinhard Siegmund-Schultze
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 01A73
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 01A55
zbMATH DE Number: 1229698
zbMATH Keywords: Cornell university
zbMATH Keywords: J. E. Oliver
zbMATH Keywords: V. Snyder
zbMATH Keywords: co-education
describes a project that uses: ZEAL
MaRDI profile type: Publication
full work available at URL: hmat.1997.2183
OpenAlex ID: W2038549444
cites work: Virgil Snyder, 1869-1950
cites work: Q4312143
cites work: Q4312144
cites work: A century-old snapshot of American mathematics
cites work: Q4305790
cites work: Q5769940
DOI: 10.1006/HMAT.1997.2183
description: scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1229698