Michael Atiyah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Atiyah
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Michael Atiyah in 2007
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| Born |
Michael Francis Atiyah
22 April 1929 Hampstead, London, England
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| Died | 11 January 2019 (aged 89) Edinburgh, Scotland
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| Education |
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| Known for | Atiyah algebroid Atiyah conjecture Atiyah conjecture on configurations Atiyah flop Atiyah–Bott formula Atiyah–Bott fixed-point theorem Atiyah–Floer conjecture Atiyah–Hirzebruch spectral sequence Atiyah–Jones conjecture Atiyah–Hitchin–Singer theorem Atiyah–Singer index theorem Atiyah–Segal completion theorem ADHM construction Fredholm module Eta invariant K-theory KR-theory Pin group Toric manifold |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
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| Thesis | Some Applications of Topological Methods in Algebraic Geometry (1955) |
| Doctoral advisor | W. V. D. Hodge |
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| Other notable students | Edward Witten |
Sir Michael Francis Atiyah (born April 22, 1929 – died January 11, 2019) was a very important British-Lebanese mathematician. He was known for his work in geometry, which is a branch of mathematics that studies shapes, sizes, and positions of figures.
His most famous contributions include the Atiyah–Singer index theorem and helping to create topological K-theory. These are advanced mathematical ideas that connect different areas of math. For his amazing work, he received the Fields Medal in 1966 and the Abel Prize in 2004. These are two of the highest honors a mathematician can receive.
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Life and Work
Atiyah spent his early years in Sudan and Egypt. However, he lived most of his adult life in the United Kingdom. He worked at famous universities like the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. He also spent time in the United States at the Institute for Advanced Study.
He held many important positions during his career. He was the President of the Royal Society from 1990 to 1995. This is a very old and respected scientific organization. He also helped start the Isaac Newton Institute and was its first director. From 1997 until he passed away, he was an honorary professor at the University of Edinburgh.
Atiyah worked with many other brilliant mathematicians. Some of his key partners were Raoul Bott, Friedrich Hirzebruch, and Isadore Singer. He also taught many students who became famous mathematicians themselves, like Simon Donaldson and Edward Witten.
Early Life and Education
Michael Atiyah was born in Hampstead, London, England, on April 22, 1929. His mother was Scottish, and his father was Lebanese. He had two brothers and one sister.
He went to primary school in Khartoum, Sudan, and then to secondary school in Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt. After that, he moved back to England. He studied at Manchester Grammar School before serving in the military for two years.
He then went to Trinity College, Cambridge, for his university studies. He earned his doctorate degree in 1955. His PhD work was about how to use "topological methods" in "algebraic geometry." Topology is a field of math that studies shapes that can be stretched or bent without tearing. Algebraic geometry uses algebra to study geometric shapes.
Career Highlights
After finishing his studies, Atiyah spent a year at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. He then returned to Cambridge University as a research fellow and lecturer. In 1961, he moved to the University of Oxford. There, he became the Savilian Professor of Geometry, a very prestigious role.
He also served as president of the London Mathematical Society from 1974 to 1976. He was involved in creating several important mathematical organizations in Europe.
Key Mathematical Ideas
Atiyah's work often connected different areas of mathematics, especially geometry, topology, and physics.
K-theory
One of his major achievements was helping to create K-theory with Friedrich Hirzebruch. Think of a Möbius strip (a strip of paper with a twist). K-theory is a way to understand more complex, higher-dimensional "twists" or shapes. It uses mathematical objects called "vector bundles" to describe how spaces are shaped and connected. K-theory became a powerful tool in a field called algebraic topology.
Index Theory
Atiyah's most famous result is the Atiyah–Singer index theorem, which he proved with Isadore Singer in 1963. This theorem provides a formula to count the number of independent solutions to certain kinds of differential equations. Differential equations are equations that describe how things change. This theorem is very important because it connects ideas from geometry, analysis (calculus), and topology. It helped solve many difficult problems in mathematics and physics.
Gauge Theory
Later in his career, Atiyah became very interested in gauge theory, especially Yang–Mills theory. This area of mathematics is also very important in theoretical physics. He studied things called "instantons" and "monopoles," which are special kinds of solutions to equations in physics. His work helped connect geometry with modern physics, especially in the work of his student Edward Witten.
Awards and Honours
Sir Michael Atiyah received many awards and honors throughout his life.
- In 1966, he was awarded the Fields Medal, which is often called the "Nobel Prize of mathematics." He received it for his work on K-theory and the Atiyah–Singer theorem.
- In 2004, he shared the Abel Prize with Isadore Singer for the same groundbreaking work on the Atiyah–Singer index theorem.
- He also received the Royal Medal in 1968 and the Copley Medal in 1988 from the Royal Society.
- He was made a Knight Bachelor in 1983, which means he could use the title "Sir."
- In 1992, he became a member of the Order of Merit, a special honor given by the British monarch for outstanding service.
He was also elected as a member of many scientific academies around the world, including the National Academy of Sciences in the United States and the French Academy of Sciences. Many universities also gave him honorary degrees.
The Michael Atiyah building at the University of Leicester and a special chair at the American University of Beirut are named after him.
Personal Life
Michael Atiyah married Lily Brown in 1955. They had three sons: John, David, and Robin. Sadly, his eldest son John passed away in 2002. Lily Atiyah passed away in 2018. Sir Michael Atiyah died on January 11, 2019, at the age of 89.
See also
