Michel Raynaud facts for kids

Michel Raynaud (born June 16, 1938 – died March 10, 2018) was a famous French mathematician. He worked in a special area of math called algebraic geometry. He was also a professor at Paris-Sud 11 University.

Who Was Michel Raynaud?

Michel Raynaud was a brilliant mathematician from France. He spent his life studying and solving very complex math problems. His work helped us understand more about shapes and spaces using algebra.

Early Life and School

Michel was born in Riom, France. He grew up in a family that didn't have a lot of money. His father was a carpenter, and his mother cleaned houses.

He went to primary school in Châtel Guyon and Riom. Later, he attended high school at a boarding school in Clermont-Ferrand.

In 1958, Michel went to a top school called the École normale supérieur. He studied there until 1962. In 1961, he was the best in his class on an important exam. This exam helped choose new high school teachers.

In 1962, he joined the French National Centre for Scientific Research. There, he studied with his future wife, Michèle Chaumartin. Both of them had the same math teacher, Alexander Grothendieck. Michel earned his doctoral degree in 1967.

His Career as a Professor

After finishing his studies, Michel Raynaud became a professor. He taught at the Orsay Faculty of Sciences in Paris. He worked there for many years, until he retired in 2001.

Michel Raynaud passed away on March 10, 2018, in Rueil-Malmaison, France.

Solving Big Math Problems

Michel Raynaud was known for solving very difficult math problems. These problems were in the field of algebraic geometry. This area of math uses algebra to study geometric shapes.

In 1983, he proved something called the Manin–Mumford conjecture. This was a big achievement in math.

In 1985, he proved Raynaud's isogeny theorem. This theorem helped mathematicians understand how certain curves relate to each other.

Later, in 1994, he worked with another mathematician, David Harbater. Together, they proved Abhyankar's conjecture. This was also a very important solution.

A special mathematical shape, the Raynaud surface, was named after him in 1979. This shows how important his work was.

Awards and Recognition

Michel Raynaud received many honors for his work.

In 1970, he was asked to speak at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Nice. This is a big honor for mathematicians.

In 1987, he won the Prize Ampère from the French Academy of Sciences.

In 1995, he received the Cole Prize. He shared this award with David Harbater for their work on the Abhyankar conjecture.

Outside of Math

When he wasn't doing math, Michel Raynaud enjoyed several hobbies. He loved skiing, especially in Val-d'Isère. He also played tennis and enjoyed rock climbing in Fontainebleau.

He was married to Michèle Raynaud, who was also a mathematician. She also studied with Alexander Grothendieck.