Raymond Woodard Brink

Raymond Woodard Brink
Zürich 1932
Born(1890-01-04)January 4, 1890
DiedDecember 27, 1973(1973-12-27) (aged 83)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materKansas State College
B.S., 1908, B.S.E.E. 1909[1]
Harvard University
Ph.D. 1916[1]
Spouse(s)Carol Ryrie (1895–1981)
(m. 1918–73, his death)
ChildrenDavid R. Brink (b. 1919)
Nora Brink Hunter
Scientific career
FieldsMathematics
InstitutionsUniversity of Minnesota
Doctoral advisorGeorge David Birkhoff

Raymond Woodard Brink (4 January 1890 in Newark, New Jersey – 27 December 1973 in La Jolla, California) was an American mathematician. His Ph.D. advisor at Harvard was George David Birkhoff.

Brink entered Kansas State College at age 14 and by age 19 had two bachelor's degrees[1] and was employed as an instructor of mathematics in Moscow, Idaho; he taught at the state preparatory school of the University of Idaho.[2][3] He returned to school at Harvard and earned a doctorate in 1916 and was a longtime professor at the University of Minnesota, and also authored numerous math textbooks. He served as president of the Mathematical Association of America from 1941–42.[1]

Personal

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Brink was the husband of author Carol Ryrie Brink, whom he had met during his first year in Idaho when both were teenagers. She was nearly six years his junior; they wed nine years later in 1918, following her graduation from college.[3] Married for over 55 years at the time of his death, they had two children, David and Nora (Hunter).[4] David (b. 1919) became an attorney and later headed the American Bar Association.[5][6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Raymond Woodard Brink, 1941-1942 MAA President". Mathematical Association of America. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  2. ^ "Instructors, etc". Gem or the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. May 1910. p. 9.
  3. ^ a b Laboe, Barbara (October 19, 1995). "Brink's son in Moscow for party". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. p. 1A.
  4. ^ Johnson, David (October 21, 1995). "Nature park dedicated at Moscow". Lewiston (ID) Morning Tribune. p. 7A.
  5. ^ Taylor, Stuart Jr. (November 12, 1981). "Bar leader fears crisis over curbs on courts". The New York Times. p. A24.
  6. ^ Smetanka, Mary Jane (November 3, 2011). "At 92, he's a man of the word". StarTribune.com. Retrieved November 18, 2012.