Frances Harshbarger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frances Harshbarger
|
|
|---|---|
|
|
| Born | August 16, 1902 Quimby, Iowa, US
|
| Died | February 11, 1987 (aged 84) Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, US
|
| Resting place | Woodbine, Iowa |
| Alma mater | Grinnell College University of Illinois |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | Kent State University |
| Thesis | The Geometric Configuration Defined by a Special Algebraic Relation of Genus Four (1930) |
| Doctoral advisor | Arthur Byron Coble |
Frances Harshbarger was an American mathematician. She was born on August 16, 1902, in Quimby, Iowa, and passed away on February 11, 1987, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
Her Education Journey
Frances Harshbarger loved learning about mathematics. She earned her first college degree, a B.A. (Bachelor of Arts), with honors in 1923 from Grinnell College. After that, she went to West Virginia University. There, she worked part-time as a teacher while also studying for her next degree. In 1925, she completed her M.A. (Master of Arts) in mathematics.
After getting her M.A., she became the head of the mathematics department at Potomac State College in Keyser, West Virginia. From 1927 to 1930, she continued her studies at the University of Illinois. In 1930, she earned her Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in mathematics. Her special area of study was called algebraic geometry. Her advisor was a famous mathematician named A. B. Coble. Frances Harshbarger was one of the very first American women to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics.
Her Career as a Professor
After finishing her Ph.D., Frances Harshbarger moved to Istanbul, Turkey. She worked as a professor at the American College for Girls, which was part of Robert College. In 1932, she was chosen to be an official delegate at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Zürich. This was a very important meeting where mathematicians from all over the world shared their new ideas.
In 1934, she returned to the United States. She taught at a high school connected to the University of Chicago. For the rest of her career, she worked at Kent State University in Ohio. She started as an instructor in 1935. She then became an assistant professor in 1936, an associate professor in 1942, and a full professor in 1946. She taught at Kent State until she retired in 1972. When she retired, she was given the title of emeritus professor, which means she was honored for her long and excellent service.
