János Aczél (mathematician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
János Aczél
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Aczél in 1970
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János Dezső Aczél
26 December 1924 Budapest, Hungary
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| Died | 1 January 2020 (aged 95) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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| Nationality | Hungarian Canadian |
| Spouse(s) | Zsuzsanna Kende |
| Children | 2 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | functional equations information theory |
| Institutions | University of Waterloo University of Cologne University of Debrecen University of Miskolc University of Szeged |
| Influences | Frigyes Riesz Lipót Fejér |
János Dezső Aczél (also known as John Aczel) was a very smart mathematician from Hungary and Canada. He was born on December 26, 1924, and passed away on January 1, 2020. He was famous for his work in two special areas of math: functional equations and information theory.
Functional equations are like puzzles in math that help us understand how different numbers or values change together. Information theory is about how we can measure, store, and send information, like when you send a message on your phone.
Contents
A Mathematician's Journey
János Aczél studied math and earned a special degree called a doctorate from the University of Budapest. After that, he taught at several universities in Hungary, including the Kossuth University, University of Miskolc, and University of Szeged. He also taught at the University of Cologne in Germany.
Moving to Canada
In 1965, Professor Aczél moved to Canada. He joined the University of Waterloo and became a very important teacher there. He was known as a "Distinguished Professor" in the Department of Pure Mathematics. This means he was one of the top experts in his field.
Starting a Math Journal
Professor Aczél also started a special magazine for mathematicians called Aequationes Mathematicae. The first issue came out in 1968. He was the main editor for a long time, helping to share new math ideas with the world.
Awards and Special Honors
János Aczél received many awards and honors for his amazing work in mathematics.
University Recognition
He was given special honorary degrees from several universities. These included the University of Karlsruhe in Germany, the University of Graz in Austria, and the University of Silesia in Katowice in Poland. An honorary degree is a way for a university to say "thank you" to someone for their great achievements.
Prestigious Memberships
In 1971, he was chosen to be a member of the Royal Society of Canada. This is a very high honor for scientists and scholars in Canada. He also won the Santiago Ramón y Cajal Medal in 1988. In 1990, he became a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, which is a group of the smartest people in Hungary.
In 2004, the Hungarian Academy honored him as one of the "big five" most important Hungarian mathematicians. This shows how much his home country valued his contributions. In 2008, he became an honorary member of the Hamburg Mathematical Society. This is the oldest math group in the world!
Pioneering Work in Functional Equations
In 2004, Professor Aczél won the Kampé de Fériet Award. He received this award for his new and important work on functional equations. His ideas helped in many different areas. For example, they helped people understand how to measure information, make better decisions, and even create rules for science.
Birthday Tributes
The math journal he started, Aequationes Mathematicae, dedicated special issues to him. These issues celebrated his 75th, 80th, and 85th birthdays. This was a way for his fellow mathematicians to show their respect and appreciation for his long and successful career. János Aczél passed away shortly after his 95th birthday.
