Richard Courant

{{Infobox scientist

| name = Richard Courant

| image = Richard_Courant.jpg

| caption = Courant in 1969

| birth_date = {{birth date|1888|01|08}}

| birth_place = {{plainlist|

Lublinitz, German Empire
(now Lubliniec, Poland)

}}

| death_date = {{death date and age|1972|01|27|1888|01|08}}

| death_place = New Rochelle, New York, United States

| fields = Mathematics

| workplaces = {{plainlist|

}}

| alma_mater = {{plainlist|

}}

| thesis_title = On the application of Dirichlet's principle to the problems of conformal mapping

| thesis_year = 1910

| doctoral_advisor = David Hilbert

| doctoral_students = {{plainlist|

| known_for = {{plainlist|

Courant number
Courant minimax principle
Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy condition
Courant's nodal domain theorem{{cite web|url=https://math.mit.edu/~urschel/publications/p2018.pdf|title=Nodal Decompositions of Graphs|author=John C. Urschel|website=Math.mit.edu|access-date=16 July 2022}}
Methoden der mathematischen Physik

}}

Richard Courant (January 8, 1888 – January 27, 1972) was a German-American mathematician. He is best known by the general public for the book What is Mathematics?, co-written with Herbert Robbins. His research focused on the areas of real analysis, mathematical physics, the calculus of variations and partial differential equations. He wrote textbooks widely used by generations of students of physics and mathematics. He is also known for founding the institute now bearing his name.

Life and career

Courant was born in Lublinitz, in the Prussian Province of Silesia (now in Poland). His parents were Siegmund Courant and Martha Freund of Oels. Edith Stein was Richard's cousin on the maternal side. During his youth his parents moved often, including to Glatz, then to Breslau and in 1905 to Berlin. He stayed in Breslau and entered the university there, then continued his studies at the University of Zürich and the University of Göttingen. He became David Hilbert's assistant in Göttingen and obtained his doctorate there in 1910. He was obliged to serve in World War I, but was wounded shortly after enlisting and therefore dismissed from the military. Courant left the University of Münster in 1921 to take over Erich Hecke{{'}}s position at the University of Göttingen.{{Cite book| publisher = Springer Science & Business Media| isbn = 978-3-642-22464-5| last = Bergmann| first = Birgit| title = Transcending Tradition: Jewish Mathematicians in German Speaking Academic Culture| date = 2012-10-22|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7z8DTwXGO-oC&pg=PA82}} There he founded the Mathematical Institute, which he headed as director from 1928 until 1933.

Courant left Germany in 1933, earlier than many Jewish escapees. He did not lose his position due to being Jewish, as his previous service as a front-line soldier exempted him; however, his public membership in the social-democratic left was reason enough (for the Nazis) for dismissal.{{cite journal|

title=Edmund Landau's Göttingen: From the Life and Death of a Great Mathematical Center|

first=Norbert|

last=Schappacher|

journal=The Mathematical Intelligencer|

year=1991|

volume=13|

issue=4|

pages=12–18|

url=http://www-irma.u-strasbg.fr/~schappa/NSch/Publications_files/1991b_Landau.pdf|

archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161109153147/http://www-irma.u-strasbg.fr/~schappa/NSch/Publications_files/1991b_Landau.pdf|

archive-date=2016-11-09|

access-date=2024-11-30|

doi=10.1007/bf03028334

s2cid=124714271}}

In 1936, after one year at Cambridge, Courant accepted a professorship at New York University in New York City. There he founded an institute for graduate studies in applied mathematics. The Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences (as it was renamed in 1964) is now one of the most respected research centers in applied mathematics.{{cite web | url = https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/applied-mathematics-rankings | title = Best Applied Math Programs | publisher = U.S.News}}

Courant and David Hilbert authored the influential textbook Methoden der mathematischen Physik, which, with its revised editions, is still current and widely used since its publication in 1924. With Herbert Robbins he coauthored a popular overview of higher mathematics, intended for the general public, titled What is Mathematics?. With Fritz John he also coauthored the two-volume work Introduction to Calculus and Analysis, first published in 1965.{{cite journal | title=review by E.I. of Introduction to Calculus and Analysis volume 1 | journal=Mathematics of Computation | volume=20 | issue=96 | date=1966 | issn=0025-5718 | doi=10.1090/S0025-5718-66-99914-5 | pages=634–635}}

Courant's name is also attached to the finite element method,{{cite journal|title=The finite-element method, Part I: R. L. Courant: Historical Corner|journal=IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine|volume=49|issue=2|pages=180–182|author=Giuseppe Pelosi|year=2007|doi=10.1109/MAP.2007.376627|s2cid=36031031}} with his numerical treatment of the plain torsion problem for multiply-connected domains, published in 1943.

{{cite journal

|last=Courant

|first=Richard

|title=Variational methods for the solution of problems of equilibrium and vibrations

|journal=Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society

|year=1943

|doi= 10.1090/s0002-9904-1943-07818-4

|volume=49

|pages=1–24

|doi-access=free

}}

This method is now one of the ways to solve partial differential equations numerically. Courant is a namesake of the Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy condition and the Courant minimax principle.

Courant was an elected member of both the American Philosophical Society (1953) and the United States National Academy of Sciences (1955).{{Cite web |title=APS Member History |url=https://search.amphilsoc.org/memhist/search?creator=Richard+Courant&title=&subject=&subdiv=&mem=&year=&year-max=&dead=&keyword=&smode=advanced |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=search.amphilsoc.org}}{{Cite web |title=Richard Courant |url=http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/deceased-members/20000990.html |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=www.nasonline.org}} In 1965, the Mathematical Association of America recognized his contributions to Mathematics with their Award for Distinguished Service to Mathematics.{{cite web | title=Yueh-Gin Gung and Dr. Charles Y. Hu Award for Distinguished Service | website=Mathematical Association of America | url=https://maa.org/programs-and-communities/member-communities/maa-awards/service-awards/yueh-gin-gung-and-dr-charles-y-hu-award-for-distinguished-service |

archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240428154823/https://maa.org/programs-and-communities/member-communities/maa-awards/service-awards/yueh-gin-gung-and-dr-charles-y-hu-award-for-distinguished-service

| archive-date=2024-04-28 | access-date=2024-05-06}}{{cite journal | last=Weaver | first=Warren | title=Award for Distinguished Service to Professor Richard Courant | journal=The American Mathematical Monthly | volume=72 | issue=1 | date=1965 | issn=0002-9890 | doi=10.1080/00029890.1965.11970481 | pages=1–2}}

Courant died of a stroke in New Rochelle, New York on January 27, 1972, aged 84.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/01/29/archives/dr-richard-courant-dies-at-84-influential-mathematics-scholar.html|title=Dr. Richard Courant Dies at 84; Influential Mathematics Scholar|first=Harry|last=Schwartz|date=1972-01-29|access-date=2022-07-16|website=The New York Times}}

Perspective on mathematics

Commenting upon his analysis of experimental results from in-laboratory soap film formations, Courant explained why the existence of a physical solution does not obviate mathematical proof. Here is a quote from Courant on his mathematical perspective:

{{blockquote|Empirical evidence can never establish mathematical existence–nor can the mathematician's demand for existence be dismissed by the physicist as useless rigor. Only a mathematical existence proof can ensure that the mathematical description of a physical phenomenon is meaningful.The Parsimonious Universe, Stefan Hildebrandt & Anthony Tromba, Springer-Verlag, 1996, page 148}}

Personal life

In 1912, Courant married Nelly Neumann, who had earned her doctorate at Breslau in synthetic geometry in 1909. They lived together in Göttingen until they were divorced in 1916. She was later murdered by the Nazis in 1942 for being Jewish.{{cite web | url = https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/neumann-nelly | title = Nelly Neumann | publisher = Jewish Women's Archive | date = 1 March 2009 | access-date = 7 July 2018}}

In 1919, Courant married Nerina (Nina) Runge (1891–1991), a daughter of the Göttingen professor for Applied Mathematics, Carl Runge (of Runge–Kutta fame).

Richard and Nerina had four children: Ernest, a particle physicist and innovator in particle accelerators; Gertrude (1922–2014), a biologist and wife of the mathematician Jürgen Moser (1928–1999); Hans (1924-2019),{{Cite web|url=https://cse.umn.edu/physics/news/hans-courant-1924-2019|title = Hans Courant, 1924-2019 | School of Physics and Astronomy | College of Science and Engineering|website=Cse.umn.edu}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/twincities/name/hans-courant-obituary?n=hans-courant&pid=193728752|title = Hans COURANT Obituary (1924 - 2019) Pioneer Press|website = Legacy.com}} a physicist who participated in the Manhattan Project; and Leonore (known as "Lori," 1928–2015), a professional violist and wife of the mathematician Jerome Berkowitz (1928–1998) and subsequently wife of mathematician Peter Lax until her death.{{cite web | url = https://www.reed.edu/reed-magazine/in-memoriam/obituaries/december2015/leonore-marianne-courant-berkowitz-1950.html | title = Leonore Marianne Courant Berkowitz 1950 {{pipe}} In Memoriam {{pipe}} Reed Magazine |website=Reed.edu| date = December 2015}}

Publications

{{Citation

| first = R.

| last = Courant

| translator-first = E. J.

| translator-last = McShane

| title = Differential and Integral Calculus

| volume = I

| year= 1937

| edition = 2nd

| publisher = Interscience

| place = New York

| isbn = 978-4-87187-838-8

}}

{{Citation

| first = R.

| last = Courant

| translator-first = E. J.

| translator-last = McShane

| title = Differential and Integral Calculus

| volume = II

| year= 1936

| publisher = Interscience

| place = New York

| isbn = 978-4-87187-835-7

}}

{{Citation

| first1 = Richard

| last1 = Courant

| first2 = Fritz

| last2 = John

| title = Introduction to Calculus and Analysis

| volume = I

| publisher = Interscience

| place = New York

| year = 1965

| isbn = 978-3-540-65058-4

}}

{{Citation

| first1 = Richard

| last1 = Courant

| first2 = Fritz

| last2 = John

| title = Introduction to Calculus and Analysis

| volume = II/1

| publisher = Interscience

| place = New York

| year = 1974

| isbn = 978-3-540-66569-4

}}

{{Citation

| first1 = Richard

| last1 = Courant

| first2 = Fritz

| last2 = John

| title = Introduction to Calculus and Analysis

| volume = II/2

| publisher = Interscience

| place = New York

| year = 1974

| isbn = 978-3-540-66570-0

}}

{{Citation

| first1 = Richard

| last1 = Courant

| first2 = David

| last2 = Hilbert

| author2-link = David Hilbert

| title = Methods of Mathematical Physics

| volume = I

| edition = 2nd

| publisher = Interscience

| place = New York

| year = 1953

| isbn = 978-0-471-50447-4

| mr = 0065391

| title-link = Methods of Mathematical Physics

}} ([https://archive.org/details/MethodsOfMathematicalPhysicsVolume1 archive]) (translated from German: Methoden der mathematischen Physik I, 2nd ed, 1931)

{{cite journal

| first = J. D.

| last = Tamarkin

| title = Review: Methoden der mathematischen Physik, Bd. I, zweite verbesserte Auflage, by R. Courant and D. Hilbert

| journal = Bull. Amer. Math. Soc.

| year = 1932

| volume = 38

| issue = 1

| pages = 21–22

| url = https://www.ams.org/journals/bull/1932-38-01/S0002-9904-1932-05311-3/

| doi = 10.1090/S0002-9904-1932-05311-3

| doi-access = free

}}

{{Citation

| first1 = Richard

| last1 = Courant

| first2 = David

| last2 = Hilbert

| author2-link = David Hilbert

| title = Methods of Mathematical Physics

| volume = II

| publisher = Interscience

| place = New York

| year = 1962

| isbn = 978-0-471-50439-9

| mr = 0140802

| doi = 10.1002/9783527617234

| title-link = Methods of Mathematical Physics

| doi-access = free

}} (translated from German: Methoden der mathematischen Physik II, 1937)

{{cite journal

| first = Hermann

| last = Weyl

| author-link = Hermann Weyl

| title = Review: Methoden der mathematischen Physik, Vol. 2, by R. Courant and D. Hilbert

| journal = Bull. Amer. Math. Soc.

| year = 1938

| volume = 44

| issue = 9

| pages = 602–604

| url = https://www.ams.org/journals/bull/1938-44-09/S0002-9904-1938-06791-2/

| doi = 10.1090/S0002-9904-1938-06791-2

| doi-access = free

}}

{{Citation

| first1 = R.

| last1 = Courant

| first2 = K. O.

| last2 = Friedrichs

| author2-link = Kurt Otto Friedrichs

| title = Supersonic Flow and Shock Waves

| year = 1948

| place = New York

| publisher = Interscience

| bibcode = 1948sfsw.book.....C

}}

{{cite journal

| first = C. C.

| last = Lin

| author-link = Chia Chiao Lin

| title = Review: Supersonic flow and shock waves, by R. Courant and K. O. Friedrichs

| journal = Bull. Amer. Math. Soc.

| year = 1951

| volume = 57

| issue = 1, Part 1

| pages = 85–87

| url = https://www.ams.org/journals/bull/1951-57-01/S0002-9904-1951-09457-4/

| doi = 10.1090/s0002-9904-1951-09457-4

| doi-access = free

| url-access = subscription

}}

{{Citation

| first1 = Richard

| last1 = Courant

| first2 = Herbert

| last2 = Robbins

| author2-link = Herbert Robbins

| title = What is Mathematics?

| publisher = Oxford University Press

| year = 1941

| title-link = What is Mathematics?

}}

References

Sources

{{cite book

| last1 = Reid

| first1 = Constance

| authorlink = Constance Reid

| title = Courant in Göttingen and New York. The Story of an Improbable Mathematician.

| place = New York, Heidelberg, Berlin

| publisher = Springer-Verlag

| year = 1976

| isbn = 978-0-387-90194-7

| url-access = registration

| url = https://archive.org/details/courantingotting00cons

}}

{{cite book

| last1 = Medawar

| first1 = Jean

| last2 = Pyke

| first2 = David

| title = Hitler's Gift: The True Story of the Scientists Expelled by the Nazi Regime

| place = New York

| publisher = Arcade Publishing

| year = 2012

| isbn = 978-1-61145-709-4

}}

External links

{{MathGenealogy |id=7378}}
{{MacTutor Biography|id=Courant}}
[https://www.aip.org/history-programs/niels-bohr-library/oral-histories/4562 Oral History interview transcript with Richard Courant on 9 May 1962, American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library & Archives]
[http://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/memoir-pdfs/courant-richard.pdf National Academy of Sciences Biographical Memoir]
[http://manhattanprojectvoices.org/oral-histories/hans-courants-interview 2015 Video Interview with Hans Courant by Atomic Heritage Foundation] Voices of the Manhattan Project
[https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/applied-mathematics-rankings US News Rankings of Applied Mathematics Programs]

Category:1888 births

Category:1972 deaths

Category:20th-century American mathematicians

Category:20th-century German mathematicians

Category:German military personnel of World War I

Category:Mathematical analysts

Category:Mathematics popularizers

Category:Foreign members of the USSR Academy of Sciences

Category:Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States

Category:Silesian Jews

Category:University of Göttingen alumni

Category:Academic staff of the University of Münster