K. O. Friedrichs

Biography

Abstract

Kurt Otto Friedrichs was Distinguished Professor of Mathematics, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University (1937-1982). Other institutional affiliations included Brunswick Technical University and University of Göttingen. His research interests included Stochastic partial differential equations and fluid dynamics.

Important Dates

September 28, 1901Birth, Kiel (Germany).

1925Obtained PhD in Mathematics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen (Germany).

1925 – 1927Assistant, University of Göttingen.

1927 – 1929Assistant and Privat-Dozent, Aachen Technical University.

1929 – 1930Privat-Dozent, University of Göttingen.

1930 – 1937Professor of Mathematics, Brunswick Technical University, Braunschweig (Germany).

1937 – 1982Visiting Professor of Applied Mathematics (1937-1939); Associate Professor to Professor (1939-1974); Associate Director to Director (1953-1967); and Distinguished Professor of Mathematics (1974-1982), Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, New York (N.Y.).

1959Member, National Academy of Sciences.

1976Awarded National Medal of Science.

December 31, 1982Death, New Rochelle (N.Y.).

Occupation

Applied mathematician.

Places

Birth

Kiel (Germany)

Graduate Education

Göttingen (Germany)

Employment

Braunschweig (Germany)

New York (N.Y.)

Death

New Rochelle (N.Y.)

Subjects

Aerodynamics.

Applied mathematics.

Fluid dynamics.

Stochastic partial differential equations.

Relationships

People

Family

Friedrichs, Christopher

Son.

Friedrichs, David

Son.

Friedrichs, Liska

Daughter.

Friedrichs, Martin

Son.

Friedrichs, Nellie Bruell

Wife.

Friedrichs, Walter

Son.

Advisors & Collaborators

Courant, Richard, 1888-1972

PhD advisor at University of Göttingen re "Die Randwert- und Eigenwertprobleme aus der Theorie der elastischen Platten" and both employed at New York University.

Colleagues

Aizenman, Michael

Both employed at New York University.

Glimm, James

Both employed at New York University.

Grad, Harold, 1923-

Both employed at New York University.

Kraichnan, Robert H., 1928-2008

Both employed at New York University.

Montroll, E. W.

Both employed at New York University.

Moser, Jürgen, 1928-

Both employed at New York University.

Spencer, Thomas, 1946-

Both employed at New York University.

Additional

Stern, Marvin, 1923-

Institutions

Major Positions

Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences

Visiting Professor of Applied Mathematics; Associate Professor to Professor; Associate Director to Director; and Distinguished Professor of Mathematics.

Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen

Assistant and Privat-Dozent.

Technische Universität Braunschweig

Professor of Mathematics.

Universität Göttingen

Obtained PhD in Mathematics (1925). Assistant and Privat-Dozent.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

Resources

Archival Resources

Subject

Oral history interview with Marvin Stern, 1987 May 1.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Author

Fluid dynamics / by Richard von Mises and Kurt O. Friedrichs ; containing also supplementary notes on The hodograph method in the theory of compressible fluid, by Stefan Bergman.

From Pythagoras to Einstein, by K. O. Friedrichs.

Mathematical aspects of the quantum theory of fields.

Supersonic flow and shock waves [by] R. Courant and K.O. Friedrichs.

Subject

"Kurt Otto Friedrichs: 1901-1983", Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences