Efim Zelmanov (°1955)
Profession: professor wiskunde
Nationality: Russian, American
Why an honorary doctorate?
Professor Efim Zelmanov is a Russian-American mathematician who made fundamental contributions to the theory of Jordan algebra, introduced to physics in the 1930s. He also made crucial contributions to the theory of Lie algebras, again finding solutions to major problems that mathematicians had thought impossible. He introduced new ideas, concepts and techniques and is undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest algebra specialists.Researchers at VUB’s Department of Mathematics and Data Science are still using ideas and results from the theory that Zelmanov developed and expanded.
"Mathematics is an elitist Art. Yet is the best supported Art."
About his career
Prof Zelmanov was appointed the Rita L. Atkinson Chair in Mathematics at UC San Diego in 2002. Before that, he was professor at Yale University, University of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has received numerous prestigious awards, including the highest distinction in maths, the Fields Medal, in 1994.
Efim Zelmanov has been nominated by the Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences.
What is an honorary doctorate?
VUB has awarded honorary doctorates every year since 1978 to personalities from the most diverse backgrounds who have made a remarkable contribution to their field and to society. From this solemn moment of recognition, they bear the honorary title of Doctor Honoris Causa of VUB.