Jeanne LaDuke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeanne LaDuke
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| Born | June 27, 1938 |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | DePauw University University of Oregon (PhD) |
| Occupation | Mathematician |
Alice Jeanne LaDuke (born June 27, 1938) is an American mathematician. She is known for her work in mathematical analysis and the history of mathematics. Before becoming a mathematician, she was also a child actress who appeared in one movie called The Green Promise.
Early Life and Acting
Jeanne LaDuke grew up on a farm in Posey County, Indiana. Her parents had gone to college. An aunt who taught math in Chicago often visited. She would bring fun math puzzles for Jeanne to solve.
When she was a child, Jeanne was chosen from 12,000 members of a group called 4-H. She got a small part in the 1948 movie The Green Promise. She played a farm girl named Jessie Wexford. In the movie, she was the sister of the character played by Natalie Wood. Jeanne and Natalie shared a tutor who taught them school lessons and also fun string games.
Her Journey in Education
Jeanne LaDuke studied mathematics at DePauw University in the 1950s. She shared a room with another math student from Oregon. This friend showed her the state of Oregon during summer camping trips.
Jeanne earned a master's degree in mathematics. However, it was hard for her to find a teaching job with this degree. Many schools at the time mainly hired men for such positions. In 1966, she went back to Oregon. She became a student at the University of Oregon to get her doctorate degree.
She finished her Ph.D. in 1969. Her special study was in mathematical analysis. Her paper was about something called Ep Space.
A Career in Mathematics
After getting her doctorate, Dr. LaDuke worked for thirty years. She was a professor in the math department at DePaul University. She retired from teaching in 2003.
Jeanne LaDuke co-wrote an important book with Judy Green. The book is called Pioneering Women in American Mathematics: The Pre-1940 PhD’s. It talks about women who earned their math doctorates before 1940.
DePaul University has an annual lecture series named after her. It is called the "Jeanne LaDuke Lecture Series on Women in Mathematics, Science, and Technology." This series celebrates women's achievements in these fields.
