Evelyn Merle Nelson (November 25, 1943 – August 1, 1987), born Evelyn Merle Roden, was a Canadian mathematician. Nelson made contributions to the area of universal algebra with applications to theoretical computer science. She, along with

Cecilia Krieger Cypra Cecilia Krieger-Dunaij (9 April 1894 – 17 August 1974) was an Austro-Hungarian (more specifically, Galician)-born mathematician of Jewish ancestry who lived and worked in Canada. Krieger was the third person (and first woman) to earn a P ...

, is the namesake of the Krieger–Nelson Prize, awarded by the

Canadian Mathematical Society The Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS) (french: Société mathématique du Canada) is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to the interests of mathematical research, outreach, scholarship and education in Canada. It serves the ...

for outstanding research by a female mathematician.Krieger-Nelson Prize

Early life

Nelson was born on November 25, 1943, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Her parents were immigrants from Russia in the 1920s.. Nelson went to high school at Westdale Secondary School in Hamilton.

Education

After spending two years at the University of Toronto, Nelson returned to

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

to study at McMaster University. She received her

B.Sc A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

from McMaster in 1965, followed by an

M.Sc A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...

in mathematics from McMaster in 1967. She succeeded in having her thesis work published in the Canadian Journal of Mathematics, also in 1967; the article was entitled "Finiteness of semigroups of operators in universal algebra". Nelson completed her Ph.D in 1970. Her thesis was entitled "The lattice of equational classes of commutative semigroups", and the ideas also formed a journal paper published in the Canadian Journal of Mathematics.

Career

Following completion of her Ph.D., Nelson continued at McMaster. She first worked as a post-doctoral researcher, later as a "research associate", and in 1978 was appointed

associate professor Associate professor is an academic title with two principal meanings: in the North American system and that of the ''Commonwealth system''. Overview In the ''North American system'', used in the United States and many other countries, it is a ...

. Serving as chair of the Unit of Computer Science at McMaster from 1982 until 1984, Nelson became a full professor in 1983.. Nelson's teaching record was, according to one colleague, "invariably of the highest order". However, before earning a faculty position at McMaster, prejudice against her led to doubts about her teaching ability. Nelson published over 40 papers during her 20-year career. She died from cancer in 1987.

Recognition

Nelson is the namesake, along with

, of the Krieger–Nelson Prize, which is awarded to a female mathematician in recognition of outstanding achievement. The Department of Mathematics at McMaster University has a lecture series, "The Evelyn Nelson Lectures", held since 1991.The Evelyn Nelson Lectures
.

Selected publications

* * * * * * *

References

External links

Agnes Scott College Agnes Scott College is a private women's liberal arts college in Decatur, Georgia. The college enrolls approximately 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The college is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and is considered one of the ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Evelyn Canadian women mathematicians 1943 births 1987 deaths People from Hamilton, Ontario McMaster University alumni Academic staff of McMaster University 20th-century Canadian mathematicians 20th-century women mathematicians 20th-century Canadian women scientists