David Barry Gauld (born 28 June 1942) is a New Zealand mathematician. He is a professor of mathematics at the

University of Auckland , mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work , established = 1883; years ago , endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021) , chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant , vice_chancellor = Dawn F ...

Biography

Within mathematics, Gauld works in

set-theoretic topology In mathematics, set-theoretic topology is a subject that combines set theory and general topology. It focuses on topological questions that are independence (mathematical logic), independent of Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory (ZFC). Objects studied ...

, with emphasis on applications to non-metrisable

manifold In mathematics, a manifold is a topological space that locally resembles Euclidean space near each point. More precisely, an n-dimensional manifold, or ''n-manifold'' for short, is a topological space with the property that each point has a n ...

s and topological properties of manifolds close to metrisability. Gauld has authored two monographs and over 70 research papers. Gauld was born on 28 June 1942 in Inglewood and grew up there. He was educated at

Wanganui Technical College Whanganui City College is located in Ingestre Street, Whanganui. It became Wanganui City College in 1994. It was formerly the Wanganui Technical College established in 1911 and it became Wanganui Boys' College in 1964. Notable alumni *Peter Bel ...

, Inglewood High School and New Plymouth Boys’ High School, and later obtained his BSc and MSc degrees with first-class honours in mathematics from the University of Auckland. Awarded a

Fulbright Grant The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...

, he completed his PhD in

topology In mathematics, topology (from the Greek language, Greek words , and ) is concerned with the properties of a mathematical object, geometric object that are preserved under Continuous function, continuous Deformation theory, deformations, such ...

, in the

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...

, supervised by

Robion Kirby Robion Cromwell Kirby (born February 25, 1938) is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley who specializes in low-dimensional topology. Together with Laurent C. Siebenmann he invented the Kirby–Siebenmann invariant ...

. He was Head of the Department of Mathematics for 15 years and Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Research) for two-and-a-half years at the University of Auckland.

Honours

In the years 1981–1982, Gauld served as president of the

New Zealand Mathematical Society The New Zealand Mathematical Society is a New Zealand based learned society of mathematicians. It is listed by the Royal Society of New Zealand as the affiliate organisation responsible for mathematics research, and by the International Mathematical ...

. He was the founding secretary of the New Zealand Mathematics Research Institute, and served in this position for 13 years, retiring in 2011. In 1997, he was awarded a New Zealand Science and Technology Medal by the

Royal Society of New Zealand Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a cit ...

. In 2015, he became an honorary life member of the New Zealand Mathematical Society. In the

2016 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 2016 were appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebrati ...

, Gauld was appointed an

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rend ...

for services to mathematics.

References

1942 births Living people New Zealand mathematicians University of Auckland faculty University of Auckland alumni University of California, Los Angeles alumni People educated at Inglewood High School, New Zealand People educated at New Plymouth Boys' High School Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit {{NewZealand-academic-bio-stub