{"id":97,"date":"2024-11-01T19:56:56","date_gmt":"2024-11-01T19:56:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/newmath2025\/?page_id=97"},"modified":"2026-04-08T14:18:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T14:18:12","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/history\/","title":{"rendered":"History"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Department of Mathematics was established in 1875. The department is in the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">College of Arts and Science<\/a>, the largest of Vanderbilt&#8217;s 10 colleges and schools. Following is a list of some important historical milestones of the department:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The first Ph.D. degree in mathematics awarded by Vanderbilt was in 1953 to\u00a0James Robert Wesson. The title of his dissertation was \u201cFinite Plane Projective Geometries.\u201d His advisor was\u00a0Eugene Baylis Shanks.<\/li>\n<li>Vanderbilt\u2019s first distinguished professor of mathematics,\u00a0Bjarni J\u00f3nsson, was hired in 1966.<\/li>\n<li>In 1970, the Department of Applied Mathematics (housed in Vanderbilt\u2019s School of Engineering) merged into the Department of Mathematics.<\/li>\n<li>Faculty member Richard Arenstorf won a NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement for computing the so-called Arenstorf trajectories and his role in bringing Apollo 13 home. Many in the department were crowded around a television watching the mission when Richard walked in and announced: &#8220;It\u2019s all okay &#8211; we know how to get them back!&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>In 1971, the department moved to its current location in Stevenson Center 1 (depicted in the artwork below).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2024\/11\/history-image-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-398\" src=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2024\/11\/history-image-1.jpg\" alt=\"old sketch of Stevenson Center\" width=\"432\" height=\"274\" srcset=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2024\/11\/history-image-1.jpg 374w, https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2024\/11\/history-image-1-300x190.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<!-- NEW ACCORDION * AID 1836-->\n\n<div class=\"panel-group VUaccordion_1836\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\" aria-multiselectable=\"true\">\n\n<!-- NEW PANEL ITEM * ID 10480-->\n\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading10480\"><h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a name=\"\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item10480\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item10480\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>Past Department Chairs<\/a><\/h4><\/div><div id=\"item10480\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading10480\"><div class=\"panel-body\"><table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"10\" cellspacing=\"25\" style=\"width:500px\">\r\n\t<tbody>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td><img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-cas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/04\/17165219\/broun-leroy.jpg\" style=\"float:left; height:120px; width:120px\" \/><\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/William_Leroy_Broun\" target=\"_blank\">WILLIAM LEROY BROUN 1875-1882<\/a><\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td><img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-cas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/04\/17165219\/vaughn.jpg\" style=\"height:120px; width:120px\" \/><\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/William_J._Vaughn\" target=\"_blank\">WILLIAM J. VAUGHN 1882-1912<\/a><\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td><img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-cas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/04\/17165218\/schuerman.jpg\" style=\"height:120px; width:120px\" \/><\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p>WILLIAM H. SCHUERMAN &ndash; 1913-1922<\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p>WILLIAM PINKERTON OTT &ndash; 1922-1925<\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td><img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-cas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/04\/17165218\/sarratt.jpg\" style=\"height:120px; width:120px\" \/><\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Charles_Madison_Sarratt\" target=\"_blank\">CHARLES M. SARRATT &ndash; 1925-1946<\/a><\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p>JOHN A. HYDEN &ndash; 1946-1956<\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td><img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-cas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/04\/17165217\/shanks.jpg\" style=\"height:120px; width:120px\" \/><\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/eugene-baylis-shanks\/\">E. BAYLIS SHANKS &ndash; 1956-1969<\/a><\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td><img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-cas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/04\/17165216\/hemmingsen.jpg\" style=\"height:120px; width:120px\" \/><\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td><a href=\"http:\/\/math.syr.edu\/bios\/hemmingsen-erik.html\" target=\"_blank\">ERIK HEMMINGSEN &ndash; 1969-1970<\/a><\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td><img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-cas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/04\/17165216\/bryant.jpg\" style=\"height:120px; width:120px\" \/><\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/billy-bryant\/\">BILLY F. BRYANT &ndash; 1970-1976<\/a><\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td><img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-cas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/04\/17165215\/goldberg.jpg\" style=\"height:120px; width:120px\" \/><\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/bio\/?who=richard-goldberg\">RICHARD R. GOLDBERG &ndash; 1976-1987<\/a><\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td><img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-cas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/04\/17165215\/webb.jpg\" style=\"height:120px; width:120px\" \/><\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/bio\/?who=glenn-webb\">GLENN F. WEBB &ndash; 1987-1993<\/a><\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td><img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-cas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/04\/17165214\/tsinakis.jpg\" style=\"height:120px; width:120px\" \/><\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/bio\/?who=constantine-tsinakis\">CONSTANTINE TSINAKIS &ndash; 1993-2000<\/a><\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td><img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-cas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/04\/17165214\/mihalik.jpg\" style=\"height:120px; width:120px\" \/><\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/bio\/?who=mike-mihalik\">MICHAEL L. MIHALIK &ndash; 2000-2005<\/a><\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td><img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-cas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/04\/17165214\/bisch.jpg\" style=\"height:120px; width:120px\" \/><\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/bio\/?who=dietmar-bisch\">DIETMAR H. BISCH &ndash; 2005-2016<\/a><\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td><img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-cas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/04\/17165213\/neamtu.jpg\" style=\"height:120px; width:120px\" \/><\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>\r\n\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/bio\/?who=mike-neamtu\">MIKE NEAMTU &ndash; 2016-2020<\/a><\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t<td>&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<!-- END PANEL * ID 10480 -->\n\n\n<\/div><!-- END ACCORDION * AID 10480 -->\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Department of Mathematics was established in 1875. The department is in the\u00a0College of Arts and Science, the largest of Vanderbilt&#8217;s 10 colleges and schools. Following is a list of some important historical milestones of the department: The first Ph.D. degree in mathematics awarded by Vanderbilt was in 1953 to\u00a0James Robert Wesson. The title of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":1259,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-headline-img.php","meta":[],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/97"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=97"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/97\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1878,"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/97\/revisions\/1878"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/math\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=97"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}