Doctoral advisor Andre Haefliger Fields Mathematics | Role Mathematician Name Vaughan Jones | |
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Institutions University of California, BerkeleyVanderbilt University Alma mater University of GenevaUniversity of Auckland Books Introduction to subfactors, Subfactors and Knots, Actions of finite groups on the hyperfinite type II[subscript 1] factor People also search for John Charles Fields, Frederick M Goodman, Andre Haefliger | ||
Vaughan jones i
Sir Vaughan Frederick Randal Jones (born 31 December 1952) is a New Zealand and American mathematician, known for his work on von Neumann algebras and knot polynomials. He was awarded a Fields Medal in 1990, and famously wore a New Zealand rugby jersey when he gave his acceptance speech in Kyoto.
Contents
- Vaughan jones i
- Christchurch disaster relief sf sir vaughan jones uc berkeley math professor
- Biography
- Honours
- Publications
- References
Christchurch disaster relief sf sir vaughan jones uc berkeley math professor
Biography
Vaughan Jones was born in Gisborne, New Zealand and brought up in Cambridge, New Zealand, completing secondary school at Auckland Grammar School. His undergraduate studies were at the University of Auckland, from where he obtained a BSc in 1972 and an MSc in 1973. For his graduate studies, he went to Switzerland, where he completed his PhD at the University of Geneva in 1979. His thesis, titled Actions of finite groups on the hyperfinite II1 factor, was written under the supervision of André Haefliger. In 1980, he moved to the United States, where he taught at the University of California, Los Angeles (1980–1981) and the University of Pennsylvania (1981–1985), before being appointed as Professor of Mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley.
His work on knot polynomials, with the discovery of what is now called the Jones polynomial, was from an unexpected direction with origins in the theory of von Neumann algebras, an area of analysis already much developed by Alain Connes. It led to the solution of a number of classical problems of knot theory, and to increased interest in low-dimensional topology.
Jones has since 2011 been at Vanderbilt University as Stevenson Distinguished Professor of mathematics. He remains Professor Emeritus at University of California, Berkeley where he has been on the faculty since 1985 and is a Distinguished Alumni Professor at the University of Auckland.
He was made an honorary vice-president for life of the International Guild of Knot Tyers in 1992.
Honours
