Maria Wonenburger facts for kids
María Josefa Wonenburger Planells (born July 17, 1927, in Montrove, Oleiros, Galicia – died June 14, 2014, in A Coruña) was a very smart Galician mathematician. She did important research in the United States and Canada. María is famous for her work on something called group theory. She was the first person from Spain to get a special Fulbright scholarship. This scholarship helped her study for her PhD in mathematics.
Biography
Early Life and Education
María Wonenburger's family had roots in different places. Her father's family was from Alsace, and her mother's family was from Valencia, Spain. From a young age, María loved mathematics. However, her parents wanted her to study engineering. They hoped she would join their family business, which was a foundry (a place where metal is melted and shaped).
María finished her first university studies at the Universidad Central de Madrid. This university is now known as the Complutense University of Madrid. After that, she started her PhD studies there. She received a special Fulbright scholarship. This scholarship allowed her to study at Yale University in the United States. She earned her PhD in 1957. Her main teacher and guide was Nathan Jacobson.
Career and Research
After getting her PhD, María Wonenburger returned to Spain. She received another scholarship in 1960. This scholarship allowed her to work at the Instituto de Matemáticas Jorge Juan del CSIC. After this grant ended, she moved to Canada. There, she taught and guided her first PhD student, Robert Moody.
In 1966, María moved to the United States. She began teaching at the University at Buffalo. The next year, in 1967, she became a permanent professor. This was at the University of Indiana. She stayed there until 1983.
María returned to La Coruña in 1983. She came back because her mother was ill. After returning, she mostly stayed away from university work. She did some small projects with groups like AGAPEMA. Her main research was about group theory and Lie algebras. These are advanced topics in mathematics. She studied how different mathematical groups work together. She also helped eight students get their PhDs. Her students included Stephen Berman, Bette Warren, Edward George Gibson, and Richard Lawrence Marcuson.
Legacy and Recognition
In 2010, the government of Galicia and the University of A Coruña created a special award. It is called the María Josefa Wonenburger Planells Prize. This award honors María and her achievements. It is given to women who have done great things in science and technology.
See also
In Spanish: María Wonenburger para niños
