Evelyn Nelson (mathematician)

otheruse|this=the Canadian mathematician Evelyn Nelson
use1=the American silent film actress|page1=Evelyn Nelson

Evelyn Merle Nelson (November 25, 1943 - August 1, 1987] ),born Evelyn Merle Roden, was a Canadian mathematician.Nelson made contributions to the area of universal algebra withapplications to theoretical computer science.She, alongwith Cecilia Krieger, is the namesake of the Krieger-Nelson Prize,awarded by the Canadian Mathematical Society for outstanding researchby a female mathematician [http://www.cms.math.ca/Prizes/info/kn.html Krieger-Nelson Prize] ,
Canadian Mathematical Society.] .

Early life

Nelson was born on November 25, 1943 in Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada.Her parents were immigrants from Russia in the 1920sB. Banaschewski, "Evelyn M. Nelson: An Appreciation", "Algebra Universalis",26 (1989) 259-266.] .Nelson went to high school at Westdale Secondary School in Hamilton.

Education

After spending two years at the University of Toronto, Nelson returnedto Hamilton to study at McMaster University.She received her B.Sc in mathematics from
McMaster in 1965,followed by an M.Sc in mathematics from
McMaster in 1967. She succeeded in havingher thesis work published in the Canadian Journal of Mathematics, also in1967; the article was entitled "Finiteness of semigroups of operators inuniversal algebra".

Nelson completed her Ph.D in 1970. Her thesis was entitled "Thelattice of equational classes of commutative semigroups", and the ideasalso formed a journal paper published in the Canadian Journal of Mathematics.

Career

From the completion of her Ph.D in 1970 until 1978, Nelsoncontinued at McMaster, first as apost-doctoral researcher, and later, under the title of "research associate".In 1978, Nelson was appointed as an Associate Professor.Nelson served as the chair of the Unit of Computer Science at McMaster from1982 until 1984. She was appointed as a full Professor in 1983Obituary: Evelyn M. Nelson, "Order" 5 (1988), 221-223.] .

Nelson's teaching record was, according to one colleague, "invariably of the highest order" .However, before earning a faculty position at McMaster, prejudice against her lead to doubts about her teachingability .

Nelson published over 40 papers during her20-year career .She died from cancer in 1987 .

Recognition

Nelson is the namesake, along with Cecilia Krieger, of the Krieger-Nelson Prize, which is awarded to a female mathematician in recognitionof outstanding achievement . The Department ofMathematics at McMaster University has a lecture series, "The EvelynNelson Lectures", held since 1991 [http://www.math.mcmaster.ca/talks/nelson_lectures.php The Evelyn Nelson Lectures] ] .

Notes

External links

* [http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/nelson.htm "Evelyn M. Nelson", Biographies of Women Mathematicians] , Agnes Scott College