Fermat comes to America: Harry Schultz Vandiver and FLT (1914-1963)

Leo Corry

doi:10.1007/BF02985688

Fermat comes to America: Harry Schultz Vandiver and FLT (1914-1963)

Leo Corry^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

History & Philosophy of Science Inst.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	30-40
Number of pages	11
Journal	Mathematical Intelligencer
Volume	29
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02985688
State	Published - Jun 2007

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10.1007/BF02985688

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title = "Fermat comes to America: Harry Schultz Vandiver and FLT (1914-1963)",

author = "Leo Corry",

note = "Funding Information: Nevertheless, Vandiver traveled ex tensively and took repeated leaves of absence to pursue his research. Much of his correspondence with university authorities revolved around requests related to these leaves. Thus, it was with a touch of irony that in its sympathetic Memorial Resolution of 1973, Vandiver was remembered by the Faculty Council as a distinguished former UT professor, whose colleagues {"}bemoaned the fact that he did not staj' around very much. 12 He was constantly applying for research grants provided by a number of institutions, including the National Science Foundation, the Carnegie Institution, and the Guggen-helm Foundation. In 1934, he was the first mathematician ever to apply for support from the American Philosophical Society. 13 In 1953, at the age of seventy-one, he requested (for the sixth time) funding from the Guggenheim Foundation for a planned six-month leave of absence. Surprisingly the Foundation granted him approval, but then Vandiver decided to withdraw his application. ~4 Even at the age of 76 he received a research grant from the NSF. Although those within his close circle of friends would invariably write the warmest letters of recommendation in support of his many applications, this was not always the case with others. Birkhoff, for instance, advised the Guggenheim Foundation that it would be better to devote its resources to support younger men, and he saw no reason why Vandiver could not continue to pursue his research at his home institution. ~5 Still, Birkhoff and others con-",

year = "2007",

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Fermat comes to America: Harry Schultz Vandiver and FLT (1914-1963)

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