Sixto Ríos facts for kids

Sixto Ríos García was a famous Spanish mathematician. He was born in Pelahustán, Toledo, on January 4, 1913, and passed away in Madrid on July 8, 2008. Many people call him the "father of Spanish statistics" because of his important work.

About Sixto Ríos García

Sixto Ríos García was the son of José María Ríos Moreiro and Maria Cristina Garcia Martin. Both of his parents were teachers, and they taught him at home when he was young.

Later, his family moved to Madrid. Sixto went to St. Maurice School and then to IES San Isidro. He was always the top student in his class, which means he was the valedictorian.

His Education and Early Career

In 1932, Sixto Ríos finished his degree in Mathematics at the Complutense University of Madrid. He earned the best grades and received a special award called "Premio Extraordinario." After that, he continued his studies and earned a Ph.D. in Mathematics. A Ph.D. is a very high university degree.

He learned from famous teachers like Julio Rey Pastor. He also worked at the Laboratory and Seminar of Mathematics. He often said that another important person, Esteban Terradas, helped him get interested in the field of statistics.

Becoming a Professor

Sixto Ríos became a professor of mathematical analysis. He taught at the University of Valencia, and also in Valladolid and Madrid. He also earned another special degree, becoming a Doctor Engineer Geographer. This allowed him to teach at the Technical School of Aeronautical Engineering and the Faculty of Economics.

Important Roles and Contributions

Sixto Ríos held many important jobs. He was the Director of the School of Statistics at the Complutense University of Madrid. He also directed parts of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), which is a big Spanish research organization. He led the Department of Statistics at the Faculty of Mathematics at the Complutense University. He was also the president of the Spanish Statistics and Operations Research Society.

He helped other countries too. He was a special member of the National Academy of Sciences of Argentina. He wrote about important ideas in mathematics, like the Von Neumann–Morgenstern utility theorem, in Spanish.

Sixto Ríos was part of the team that created Statistical Abstracts. He was also a full member of important international groups like the International Statistical Institute and the Institute of Mathematical Statistics.

He guided the studies of 16 professors and helped many directors in statistics offices in Latin America. He also did practical research for Spanish businesses. He started the School of Operations Research, which helps solve problems using math.

He gave talks at universities all over the world. He presented his work at international meetings and published articles in journals around the globe. He also helped set up and lead research centers. These included the School of Statistics at the University of Madrid and the Institute of Operations Research and Statistics at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). He also helped start their journal, Works on Operations Research and Statistics.

He even helped create the School of Statistics at the Central University of Venezuela. He also helped with the Department of Statistics and Operations Research at the Faculty of Sciences. These programs offered international courses supported by the Organization of American States (OAS) and UNESCO.

Sixto Ríos García married Maria Jesus Insua Negrao. They had a son named Sixto Rios Ensua, who also became a mathematician, following in his father's footsteps.

Awards and Recognition

Sixto Ríos received many honors for his work. In 1979, he won the Spanish National Award for Mathematical Research.

He was a member of the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences from 1961 until he passed away. He also received special honorary degrees, called Doctor Honoris Causa, from the University of Oviedo in 2000 and the University of Seville in 2001.

Because of all his important contributions to research in Spain, he is known as the "father of statistics" in the country.

See also

In Spanish: Sixto Ríos para niños