Contents
Julia Robinson
Helping prove that no universal algorithm can solve every whole-number equation of a certain kind.
Game theory · Decision problems
- Born
- 8 December 1919
- Birthplace
- St. Louis, United States
- Died
- 30 July 1985
More people
Julia Robinson
Robinson was a central contributor to the resolution of Hilbert’s tenth problem. Her work linked number theory with the limits of computation, and she became the first woman president of the American Mathematical Society.
Early life
Interrupted schooling
Serious childhood illness kept her out of school for two years, after which she caught up through private tuition.
Berkeley studies
Transferred from San Diego State to Berkeley and completed her mathematics degree in 1940.
Career
- 1948
Doctorate
Completed a Berkeley PhD under Alfred Tarski on arithmetic and decision problems.
- 1976
Berkeley professor
Received a full professorship after years of research outside a conventional faculty career.
- 1983–1984
Society president
Served as the first woman to lead the American Mathematical Society.
Contributions
Game theory
Proved a convergence result for an iterative method in two-player zero-sum games.
Decision problems
With Martin Davis and Hilary Putnam, established a crucial step towards solving Hilbert’s tenth problem.
Hilbert’s tenth problem
Her earlier work helped Yuri Matiyasevich complete the proof that the requested general algorithm cannot exist.
Beyond mathematics
Barriers to employment
Berkeley’s rules against employing married couples in one department restricted her teaching opportunities after she married Raphael Robinson.
Public service
Supported political causes and encouraged women to pursue mathematical research.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗University of St Andrews biography ↗Photo: George Bergman. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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