Noted UW-Madison mathematician Rudin dies at 89

Wisconsin State Journal ^ | 05/21/2010 | Deborah Ziff

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Walter Rudin, a preeminent mathematician who taught at UW-Madison for 32 years, died Thursday at the age of 89 after suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

Rudin’s advanced work on mathematical analysis may have been of interest to only a small worldwide audience, but his three textbooks were translated into multiple languages and used by generations of college students.

“Especially because of his textbooks, he was known universally among undergraduates and graduates studying mathematics,” said Alexander Nagel, a colleague in the UW-Madison math department.

Rudin was born in Vienna, Austria, on May 2, 1921, to a prosperous Jewish family. His family fled Austria in 1938 after the country was annexed to the Nazis. He served in the British Army and Navy during WWII, coming to the United States in late 1945. He got a doctorate in math from Duke University in 1949 and joined the UW-Madison math department in 1959.

After retiring in 1991, Rudin wrote about his early life, turbulent war years and math career in an autobiography titled “As I Remember It.”

But thousands of students are likely more familiar with Rudin’s writings from his “Principles of Mathematical Analysis,” published in 1953 and often used in junior and senior level college calculus courses. It is playfully called “Baby Rudin” by students and the math community, Nagel said, to differentiate it from his second book, “Real and Complex Analysis,” which is called “Big Rudin.”

Rudin published a third textbook, “Functional Analysis,” in 1973 and won the Leroy P. Steele Prize from the American Mathematical Society for writing in 1993.

Rudin is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen, who was also a professor in the math department, four children and four grandchildren.

Because he served as a mentor to so many doctoral students, his work is carried on through many “mathematical children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” Mary Ellen Rudin said.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

A bit of a celebrity amongst mathematicians.

[Gene Eric]

Wondering if he was published (indirectly) by Dover...

[rabscuttle385]

But thousands of students are likely more familiar with Rudin’s writings from his “Principles of Mathematical Analysis,” published in 1953 and often used in junior and senior level college calculus courses. It is playfully called “Baby Rudin” by students and the math community, Nagel said, to differentiate it from his second book, “Real and Complex Analysis,” which is called “Big Rudin.”

I have heard of both books. I have also heard they are quite good.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Possible ping of interest?

[Ultra Sonic 007]

I used 'Principles' as the source for my 'Calculus of Several Variables' course last summer. It's an excellent resource.

Link

[Spaulding]

Yes, Rudin’s books are classics, but his wife has always been more interesting as a mathematician and example of brilliance. Mary Ellen (Estill)’s father was stranded in the mountains of West Texas when money ran out for his federal (shovel ready) surveying project. She was taken to UT Austin because one of her dad's former girlfriends taught there. She was somehow lured to the only table in the gym with no line, where sat one of the world's great mathematicians, R.L. Moore. While she was quite beautiful, one assumes he could read her intelligence, and he was correct. She thought she would study English but Moore had plans for her. She became his “killer” in a class where many of the smartest came to study with Moore. Moore had people prove theorems from axioms in class, and would call on the innocent-looking pretty girl after everyone else had stalled. She wrote hundreds of papers sprawled in her living room surrounded by her four children. I hope she writes an autobiography.

[SuziQ]

Math ping!!

[LibWhacker]

If you can find a real analysis textbook that doesn’t list Rudin in the bibliography, I’ll eat my hat. R.I.P.

[TheCipher]

I have heard of both books. I have also heard they are quite good.

Yeah, I have his copy of Principles of Mathematical Analysis right in front of me. It was my textbook for Advanced Calculus. A very tough book. Many agonizing proofs written from it :-)

[TheCipher]

Whew has the price on that gone up. I paid about $40 for mine, but that was back in ‘84 :-)

[grey_whiskers]

Like, *PING*, dudes.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[Daffynition]

A beloved icon will be missed. Rudin wrote some of the most beloved and well-read textbooks in all of mathematics.

I like this anecdote from a former student: "I met Walter Rudin while at the University of Kentucky in my first post-Ph.D position in the mid-60's. A true gentleman."

'UK was sponsoring a symposium and many of the big guns at the time were there. The only incident I really remember occurred when Rudin was giving a lecture to the attendees. He was interrupted by Professor Zygmund who stated that he didn't see how that conclusion followed. Rudin turned towards him and said "I got it from your book!".'

Because he served as a mentor to so many doctoral students, his work is carried on through many “mathematical children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” Mary Ellen Rudin said.

Mathematics Genealogy Project

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Fascinating story....I know about R.L. Moore's math course ...took it from one of his students....

You do learn what Proving a theorem is all about...and the incredible properties of the real number system...paraphrasing here.

[SirKit]

I took a course at Florida State taught from Rudin's Functional Analysis text. Good book.

[GreenHornet]

I haven’t read “Principles of Mathematical Analysis.” I figured I’d wait for the movie.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Ultra Sonic 007.

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[Gideon7]

I bought Functional Analysis from the campus bookstore to help me decide whether to into grad Math or CS.

After reading the book I chose CS.