George David Birkhoff was an American mathematician, born on March 21, 1884, considered one of the top American mathematicians of his generation. He made valuable contributions to the theory of differential equations, dynamical systems, the four-color problem, the three-body problem and general relativity, and is best remembered for the ergodic theorem. Born in Overisel Township, Michigan, to Dutch immigrants, he obtained his A.B. and A.M. from Harvard University, returned to the University of Chicago in 1905 and graduated summa cum laude with his Ph.D. in 1907 in differential equations, with E. H. Moore as his supervisor, though he was most influenced by the writings of Henri Poincaré. He died on November 12, 1944.
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Source Chromatic Polynomial (Wikipedia)
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Source Wikipedia: George David Birkhoff
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Source MacTutor History of Mathematics, University of St Andrews: George David Birkhoff - MacTutor History of Mathematics
Source Birkhoff's theorem (electromagnetism) (Wikipedia)
Source Birkhoff's theorem (relativity) (Wikipedia)
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1. Wikipedia: George David Birkhoff
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He is considered one of the top American mathematicians of his generation.
MacTutor History of Mathematics, University of St Andrews: George David Birkhoff - MacTutor History of Mathematics
MacTutor History of Mathematics, University of St AndrewsProofs Credited: Birkhoff Ergodic Theorem, BiographyQuote, Proofs Credited: Birkhoff Ergodic Theorem, Biography
His most important work was the Ergodic Theorem he discovered in 1931
Chromatic Polynomial (Wikipedia)
Attributed Works: Chromatic Polynomial, Lead sentence, attributionQuote, Attributed Works: Chromatic Polynomial, Lead sentence, attribution
originally defined by George David Birkhoff
Birkhoff's theorem (relativity) (Wikipedia)
Proofs Credited: Birkhoff's Theorem (General Relativity), LeadQuote, Proofs Credited: Birkhoff's Theorem (General Relativity), Lead
The theorem was first proven by Jørg Tofte Jebsen in 1921 and rediscovered in 1923 by George David Birkhoff (author of another famous Birkhoff theorem, the pointwise ergodic theorem which lies at the foundation of ergodic theory).
Birkhoff's theorem (electromagnetism) (Wikipedia)
Proofs Credited: Birkhoff's Theorem (Electromagnetism), LeadQuote, Proofs Credited: Birkhoff's Theorem (Electromagnetism), Lead
The theorem is due to George D. Birkhoff.
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