Wanda Szmielew facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wanda Szmielew
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| Born | 5 April 1918 Warsaw, Congress Poland
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| Died | 27 August 1976 (aged 58) Warsaw, Congress Poland
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| Alma mater | |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics, logic |
| Thesis | Elementary properties of Abelian groups (1955) |
| Doctoral advisor | Alfred Tarski |
| Influenced | Abraham Robinson |
Wanda Szmielew (born Montlak) was a brilliant Polish mathematician and logician. She is famous for proving that certain math problems about "abelian groups" can always be solved. Abelian groups are special kinds of mathematical structures used in advanced algebra.
Contents
Early Life and Studies
Wanda Montlak was born in Warsaw, Poland, on April 5, 1918. She finished high school in 1935. That same year, she got married and changed her last name to Szmielew.
She then started studying at the University of Warsaw. There, she learned about logic from famous professors like Alfred Tarski. She began working on important math ideas, including the "axiom of choice."
Impact of World War II
Wanda Szmielew's studies were stopped in 1939 when Poland was invaded. This event started World War II.
During the war, she worked as a surveyor. Even though times were tough, she kept doing her math research on her own. She also taught classes secretly for the Polish underground movement.
Post-War Achievements
After Poland was freed, Wanda Szmielew started working at the University of Łódź. This university was new, founded in May 1945.
In 1947, she published a paper about the axiom of choice. She also earned her master's degree from the University of Warsaw. After that, she moved back to Warsaw to work as a senior assistant.
Research on Abelian Groups
In 1949 and 1950, Szmielew visited the University of California, Berkeley in the United States. Her former professor, Alfred Tarski, was teaching there.
While at Berkeley, she finished her PhD in 1950. Her main work was on "abelian groups." She proved that it's always possible to decide if a statement about these groups is true or false. This was a very important discovery in mathematics.
Later, other mathematicians like re-proved her result using different methods. This showed how important her original work was.
Focus on Geometry
After returning to Warsaw, Wanda Szmielew became an assistant professor. Her interests then shifted to the "foundations of geometry." This field explores the basic rules and ideas behind shapes and spaces.
She wrote a book on this topic with Karol Borsuk in 1955. It was later translated into English. Another book she wrote was published after her death.
Later Life and Legacy
Wanda Szmielew passed away from cancer on August 27, 1976, in Warsaw. She left behind a significant legacy in mathematics and logic. Her work continues to influence mathematicians today.
See also
In Spanish: Wanda Szmielew para niños
