Year of Award: 1984

Award: Lester R. Ford

Publication Information: The American Mathematical Monthly, vol. 90, 1983, pp. 600-623

Summary: This article points out that, in spite of its importance in many branches of mathematics, Lie theory presents a pedagogical challenge when it comes to introducing students into the field.  The paper makes the case that one can teach undergraduates about linear Lie groups using the implicit function theorem and a basic knowledge of linear algebra and differential calculus.

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About the Author: (from The American Mathematical Monthly, vol. 90, (1983)) Roger Howe received his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1969. His advisor was Calvin C. Moore. He was at the State University of New York at Stony Brook from 1969 to 1974, and since then has been at Yale University. His main research interests are in group representation theory and harmonic analysis, both pure and applied.