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What did Sofya Kovalevskaya study?
She was the first woman in modern Europe to gain a doctorate in mathematics, the first to join the editorial board of a scientific journal, and the first to be appointed professor of mathematics.
What was Sofia Kovalevskaya childhood like?
She felt very neglected as the middle child in the family of a well admired, first-born daughter, Anya, and of the younger male heir, Fedya. For much of her childhood she was also under the care of a very strict governess who made it her personal duty to turn Sofia into a young lady.
Where did Sofia Kovalevskaya live?
SwedenBerlinMoscowSofya Kovalevskaya/Places lived
How old was Sofia Kovalevskaya when she died?
41 years (1850–1891)Sofya Kovalevskaya / Age at death
Where did Sofia Kovalevskaya study?
University of Göttingen1874Heidelberg UniversitySofya Kovalevskaya/Education
Who was the first mathematician in the world?
Thales of MiletusOne of the earliest known mathematicians were Thales of Miletus (c. 624–c. 546 BC); he has been hailed as the first true mathematician and the first known individual to whom a mathematical discovery has been attributed.
How do you pronounce Sofia Kovalevskaya?
0:000:28How to pronounce Sofia Vasilyevna Kovalevskaya (Russian/Russia)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPronounce names.com sofia vasilyevna cavalevskaya sofia vasilyevna kavalievskaya do we have theMorePronounce names.com sofia vasilyevna cavalevskaya sofia vasilyevna kavalievskaya do we have the correct pronunciation.
Why is Sofia Kovalevskaya famous?
Sofia Kovalevskaya (1850-1891) was the world's first female professor of mathematics. She taught at Stockholm University, where she was awarded a Professorial Chair. Born in Russia, she entered into a marriage of convenience with Vladimir Kovalevsky at the age of 18.
What is the theory of partial differential equations?
A partial differential equation (or briefly a PDE) is a mathematical equation that involves two or more independent variables, an unknown function (dependent on those variables), and partial derivatives of the unknown function with respect to the independent variables.
Where did Marjorie Lee Browne work?
In 1949, Browne joined the faculty of mathematics at North Carolina Central University, then called North Carolina College, where she stayed until her retirement in 1979. For 25 years she was the only person in the department to have a Ph.
Who is Sofya Kovalevskaya?
Sofya Kovalevskaya ( née Korvin-Krukovskaya) was born in Moscow, the second of three children. Her father, Lieutenant General Vasily Vasilyevich Korvin-Krukovsky, served in the Imperial Russian Army as head of the Moscow Artillery before retiring to Palibino, his family estate in Vitebsk Region in 1858, when Kovalevskaya was eight years old. He was a member of the minor nobility, of mixed (Bela)Russian–Polish descent (Polish on his father's side), with possible partial ancestry from the royal Corvin family of Hungary, and served as Marshall of Nobility for Vitebsk province. (There may also have been some Romani ancestry on the father's side. )
Why did Sofia Kovalevskaya travel to Paris?
: 104–106 With the fall of the Commune, however, both Anyuta and her common law husband Victor Jaclard, who was leader of the Montmartre contingent of the National Guard and a prominent Blanquiste, were arrested. Although Anyuta managed to escape to London, Jaclard was sentenced to execution. However, with the assistance of Sofia's and Anyuta's father General Krukovsky, who had come urgently to Paris to help Anyuta and who wrote to Adolphe Thiers asking for clemency, they managed to save Victor Jaclard. : 107–108
What is the Kovalevskaia Fund?
The Kovalevskaia Fund, founded in 1985 with the purpose of supporting women in science in developing countries, was named in her honor.
What is the Sonya Kovalevsky Lecture?
The Sonya Kovalevsky Lecture is sponsored annually by the AWM and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, and is intended to highlight significant contributions of women in the fields of applied or computational mathematics.
Which cities have streets named after Sofya Kovalevskaya?
Saint Petersburg, Moscow, and Stockholm have streets named in honor of Sofya Kovalevskaya.
When did Sofia and Vladimir marry?
In 1875 , for some unknown reason, perhaps the death of her father, Sofia and Vladimir decided to spend several years together as an actual married couple. Three years later their daughter, Sofia (called "Fufa"), was born. After almost two years devoted to raising her daughter, Kovalevskaya put Fufa under the care of relatives and friends, resumed her work in mathematics, and left Vladimir for what would be the last time.
Who was the woman who met Mittag-Leffler's sister?
That year, with the help of the mathematician Gösta Mittag-Leffler, whom she had known as a fellow student of Weierstrass, Kovalevskaya was able to secure a position as a privat-docent at Stockholm University in Sweden. Kovalevskaya met Mittag-Leffler's sister, the actress, novelist, and playwright Anne Charlotte Edgren-Leffler. Until Kovalevskaya 's death the two women shared a close friendship.
Who did Kovalevskaya study with?
Following Leo Königsberger 's advice, in 1871 Kovalevskaya moved to Berlin to study with Karl Weierstrass, Königsberger's former teacher. When she arrived, Weierstrass gave her some problems to test her mathematical skill and when she solved these in a week he was immediately convinced of her brilliance.
What is Sofia Kovalevskaya's name?
We need to also say a little about Sofia Kovalevskaya's name. She was given the name Sofia Vasilievna Krukovsky, only adopting the name Korvin-Krukovsky after her father's application for nobility was accepted in 1858. She is often called Sophie or Sonya, the first being an anglicised version of Sofia, the second being a familiar version by which she was known by her friends after she became an adult. Kovalevskaya is the female version of her husband's name Kovalevsky which is often transliterated as Kovalevskaia, and infrequently as Kovalevskaja. She is also known as Sonya Kovalevsky, using a masculine version of her surname, a form she sometimes used herself. We will use the form Sofia Kovalevskaya throughout this biography.
What were the three papers Kovalevskaya completed?
Weierstrass deemed each of these worthy of a doctorate. The three papers were on Partial differential equations, Abelian integrals and Saturn's Rings.
Why did Sofia Kovalevskaya go to Heidelberg?
In the spring of 1869 Kovalevskaya travelled with her husband to Heidelberg to study mathematics and the natural sciences, only to discover that women could not matriculate at the university. Eventually she persuaded the university authorities to allow her to attend lectures unofficially, provided that she obtain the permission of each of her lecturers. Sofia studied there successfully for three semesters attending lectures by Gustav Kirchhoff, Hermann Helmholtz, Leo Königsberger, and Paul Du Bois-Reymond and, according to the memoirs of a fellow student, she:-
Why did Kovalevskaya have problems?
Although her marriage was allowing Kovalevskaya to get the education she craved at this time, it soon caused her problems and, throughout its fifteen years, it was a source of intermittent sorrow, exasperation and tension and her concentration was broken by her frequent quarrels and misunderstandings with her husband. Although she was now allowed to attend university lectures, her real love was mathematics and she felt that for this she had to go to Germany.
What happened to Sofia after Anyuta died?
After Anyuta died in the fall of 1887, Sofia felt lonely and despondent. The sisters had been close, and Sofia felt the loss deeply. The topic of the Prix Bordin of the French Academy of Sciences was announced in 1886. Entries were to be significant contributions to the problem of the study of a rigid body.
Where did Sofia live?
Sofia lived at Palibino, the Krukovsky country estate, from 1858 when he father retired, and was educated by tutors and governesses. Palibino was near the Lithuanian border and was a large estate with sheep and cattle, lakes stocked with fish, forests with game, and vegetable gardens.
Who was the first woman to be elected a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences?
In 1883 Kovalevskaya accepted Magnus Mittag-Leffler ’s invitation to become a lecturer in mathematics at the University of Stockholm. She was promoted to full professor in 1889. In 1884 she joined the editorial board of the mathematical journal Acta Mathematica, and in 1888 she became the first woman to be elected a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In 1888 she was awarded the Prix Bordin of the French Academy of Sciences for a paper on the rotation of a solid body around a fixed point.
Who was the first woman to become a doctoral student in mathematics?
Sofya Vasilyevna Kovalevskaya, (born January 15, 1850, Moscow, Russia—died February 10, 1891, Stockholm, Sweden), mathematician and writer who made a valuable contribution to the theory of partial differential equations. She was the first woman in modern Europe to gain a doctorate in mathematics, the first to join the editorial board ...
Who is Sofia Kovalevskaya's father?
Sofia Kovalevskaya ( née Korvin-Krukovskaya), was born in Moscow, the second of three children. Her father, Vasily Vasilyevich Korvin-Krukovsky, was Lieutenant-General of Artillery who served in the Imperial Russian Army. Her mother, Yelizaveta Fedorovna Schubert, was a scholarly woman of German ancestry and Sofia's grandmother was Romani. When she was 11 years old, the wall paper in her room had differential and integral analysis, which was her early preparation for calculus.
What books did Kovalevskaya write?
Kovalevskaya wrote several non-mathematical works as well, including a memoir, A Russian Childhood, plays (in collaboration with Duchess Anne Charlotte Edgren-Leffler) and a partly autobiographical novel, Nihilist Girl (1890).
What happened to Sofia and Vladimir?
In the early 1880s, Sofia and her husband Vladimir developed financial problems. Sofia wanted to be a lecturer at the university; however, she was not allowed to because she was a woman, even though she had the same amount of knowledge in mathematics as men. Sofia had even volunteered to provide free lectures and she was still denied the right. Soon after, Vladimir started business management and Sofia became his assistant. They built houses as well as fountains to become financially stable again for a short period of time. In 1879, the price for mortgages became higher than the amount of money they made. They lost all their money again and became bankrupt. Shortly after, Vladimir got a job offer and Sofia helped neighbours to electrify street lights. Vladimir and Sofia quickly established themselves again financially.
Who was the first female mathematician?
Sofia Vasilyevna Kovalevskaya (Russian: Со́фья Васи́льевна Ковале́вская) (15 January [O.S. 3 January] 1850 – 10 February [O.S. 29 January] 1891) was the first major Russian female mathematician, responsible for important original contributions to analysis, differential equations and mechanics, and the first woman appointed to a full professorship in Northern Europe. She was also one of the first women to work for a scientific journal as an editor.
Who is the Sonia Kovalevsky Lecture?
The Sonia Kovalevsky Lecture is sponsored annually by the AWM, and is intended to highlight significant contributions of women in the fields of applied or computational mathematics. Past honorees have included Irene Fonseca (2006), Ingrid Daubechies (2005), Joyce R. McLaughlin (2004) and Linda R. Petzold (2003).
Is Sofia a minor character in Against the Day?
Against the Day, a 2006 novel by Thomas Pynchon was speculated before release to be based on the life of Sofia, but in the finished novel she appears as a minor character.
THE CHILDHOOD OF A GENIUS
Born on January 15, 1850, Sofia Kovalevskaya spent the early years of her life in Moscow, Russia. Her father, Vasily Korvin-Krukovsky, was a well educated artillery general who was a member of Russian nobility. The middle of three children, Sofia grew up with tutors and governesses who developed her education at an early stage.
MARRIED LIFE
Because no Russian universities permitted women to enroll, she decided to study abroad. However, when her father did not give her permission to leave the country, she took matters into her own hands at age 19 and married a paleontologist by the name of Vladimir Kovalensky.
UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
Even though she was never official enrolled in classes, she was able to attend lectures from approval of the professors. At age 21 she moved to Berlin to study under a professor and friend, Weierstrass, who tutored her privately for four years.
MATH CAREER
Once Sofia had her degree, she was unable to receive an academic position largely due to the fact that she was a woman. So, Sofia moved back to Russia for the next six years during which she lost contact with Weierstrass, and tried to find a job.
Who courted Sofia's sister?
However, the young girl kept studying on her own and even taught herself algebra. Famous writer Fiódor Dostoyevski courted Sofia’s sister, even though Sofia was completely in love with him. He was her impossible love. Both Sofia and her sister knew that the only way to get some kind of freedom was by marrying.
What did Sofia's family discover about her new home?
Upon their arrival to Belarus, the family discovered that a wall in Sofia’s room was missing pieces of wallpaper.
How did Sofia get freedom?
Both Sofia and her sister knew that the only way to get some kind of freedom was by marrying. During that time, many women agreed to “white marriages”; in other words, marriages of convenience.
Why is the crater of the moon named after Sofia?
She died early at the age of 41 from pneumonia. One of the craters of the moon is named after her, in homage to her great contributions. Sofia was one of many brilliant female figures that history tried to hide.
What is the Matilda effect?
The Matilda Effect: Women, Science, and Discrimination. The proportion of Nobel Prizes that have gone to men instead of women is shocking. The Matilda effect is a theory that looks at this very problem .
Who was the first woman to complete a university education?
Sofia was actually the first woman to complete a university education. She was also the first known female university professor. “It’s impossible to be a mathematician without being a poet at soul.”. Without really meaning to, Kovalévskaya became a pioneer of feminism.
Was Sofia a brilliant woman?
Sofia was one of many brilliant female figures that history tried to hide. She’s barely mentioned in schools, but her accomplishments were more impressive than most of her contemporaries. She was one of those dazzling minds that sometimes pop up in the history of humanity.
Overview
Sofya Vasilyevna Kovalevskaya (Russian: Софья Васильевна Ковалевская), born Korvin-Krukovskaya (15 January [O.S. 3 January] 1850 – 10 February 1891), was a Russian mathematician who made noteworthy contributions to analysis, partial differential equations and mechanics. She was a pioneer for women in mathematics around the world – the first woman to obtain a doctorat…
Background and early education
Sofya Kovalevskaya (née Korvin-Krukovskaya) was born in Moscow, the second of three children. Her father, Lieutenant General Vasily Vasilyevich Korvin-Krukovsky, served in the Imperial Russian Army as head of the Moscow Artillery before retiring to Palibino, his family estate in Vitebsk Region in 1858, when Kovalevskaya was eight years old. He was a member of the minor nobility, of …
Student years
In April 1869, following Sofia's and Vladimir's brief stay in Vienna, where she attended lectures in physics at the university, they moved to Heidelberg. Through great efforts, she obtained permission to audit classes with the professors' approval at the University of Heidelberg. There she attended courses in physics and mathematics under such teachers as Hermann von Helmholtz, Gustav Kirchhoff and Robert Bunsen. Vladimir, meanwhile, went on to the University …
Last years in Germany and Sweden
In 1874, Kovalevskaya and her husband Vladimir returned to Russia, but Vladimir failed to secure a professorship because of his radical beliefs. (Kovalevskaya never would have been considered for such a position because of her sex.) During this time they tried a variety of schemes to support themselves, including real estate development and involvement with an oil co…
Tributes
Sonya Kovalevsky High School Mathematics Day is a grant-making program of the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM), funding workshops across the United States which encourage girls to explore mathematics. While the AWM currently does not have grant money to support this program, multiple universities continue the program with their own funding.
The Sonya Kovalevsky Lecture is sponsored annually by the AWM and the Society for Industrial …
In film
Kovalevskaya has been the subject of three film and TV biographies.
• Sofya Kovalevskaya (1956) directed by Iosef Shapiro, starring Yelena Yunger, Lev Kolesov and Tatyana Sezenyevskaya.
• Berget på månens baksida ("A Hill on the Dark Side of the Moon") (1983) directed by Lennart Hjulström, starring Gunilla Nyroos as Sofja Kovalewsky and Bibi Andersson as Anne Charlotte Edgren-Leffler, Duchess of Cajanello, and sister to Gösta Mittag-L…
In fiction
• Little Sparrow: A Portrait of Sophia Kovalevsky (1983), Don H. Kennedy, Ohio University Press, Athens, Ohio
• Beyond the Limit: The Dream of Sofya Kovalevskaya (2002), a biographical novel by mathematician and educator Joan Spicci, published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, is an historically accurate portrayal of her early married years and quest for an education. It is based in part on 88 of Kovalevskaya's letters, which the author translated from Russian to English.
See also
• Cauchy–Kowalevski theorem
• Kowalevski top
• Timeline of women in science
• Timeline of women in mathematics
Early Years
Student Years
- In 1869, Kovalevskaya began attending the University of Heidelberg, Germany, which allowed her to audit classes as long as the professors involved gave their approval. Shortly after beginning her studies there, she visited London with Vladimir, who spent time with his colleagues Thomas Huxley and Charles Darwin, while she was invited to attend Geor...
Last Years in Germany and Sweden
- In the early 1880s, Sofia and her husband Vladimir developed financial problems. Sofia wanted to be a lecturer at the university; however, she was not allowed to because she was a woman, even though she had the same amount of knowledge in mathematics as men. Sofia had even volunteered to provide free lectures and she was still denied the right. Soon after, Vladimir starte…
Tributes
- Commemorative coin, 2000. Sonia Kovalevsky High School Mathematics Dayis a grant-making program of the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM), funding workshops across the United States which encourage girls to explore mathematics. The Sonia Kovalevsky Lectureis sponsored annually by the AWM, and is intended to highlight significant contributions of women …
in Film
- Sofia Kovalevskaya has been the subject of three film and TV biographies. 1. Sofya Kovalevskaya(1956) directed by Iosef Shapiro, starring Yelena Yunger, Lev Kosolov and Tatyana Sezenyevskaya. 1. Berget På Månens Baksida("A Hill on the Dark Side of the Moon") (1983) directed by Lennart Hjulström, starring Gunilla Nyroos as Sofja Kovalewsky and Bibi Andersson …
in Fiction
- "Little Sparrow: A Portrait of Sophia Kovalevsky" (1983), Don H. Kennedy, Ohio University Press, Athens, Ohio