Albert Turner Bharucha-Reid

Albert Turner Bharucha-Reid (November 13, 1927 – February 26, 1985) was an American mathematician and theorist who worked extensively on probability theory, Markov chains, and statistics. The author of more than 70 papers and 6 books, his work touched on such diverse fields as economics, physics, and biology.

Albert Turner Bharucha-Reid
Born(1927-11-13)November 13, 1927
Hampton, Virginia
DiedFebruary 26, 1985(1985-02-26) (aged 57)
NationalityUnited States
Alma materIowa State University,
University of Chicago
Known forProbability theory, Markov chains
Scientific career
FieldsMathematics, Statistics
InstitutionsColumbia University,
University of California, Berkeley,
University of Oregon,
Polish Academy of Sciences,
Wayne State University,
Atlanta University

Life

Bharucha-Reid was born Albert Turner Reid, the son of William Thaddeus Reid and Mae Marie Beamon Reid of Hampton, Virginia.[1] He studied math and biology at Iowa State University, where completed a BS in 1949. He continued his studies at the University of Chicago from 1950 to 1953, where he began to focus more intensely on statistics and probability.[1] He published eight papers during his time at the University of Chicago, but he did not finish his PhD dissertation because he felt it was a waste of time.[2] In 1954, he married Rodabe Phiroze Bharucha, and he legally changed his name to Albert Turner Bharucha-Reid.[1] He had two children, Kurush Feroze Bharucha-Reid, and Rustam William Bharucha-Reid.

Work

Bharucha-Reid published his first paper, a work on mathematical biology, when he was only 18 years old.[2] He went on to teach and lecture in the United States, Europe, and India. He held professorships or research positions at Columbia University, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Oregon, Wayne State University, the Polish Academy of Sciences, and Atlanta University.[1] In particular, in 1970 he was appointed Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Wayne State University.[2]

Legacy

A lecture series has been named in his honor by the National Association of Mathematicians.[1]

Selected publications

Bharucha-Reid is the author or coauthor of:

  • Elements of the Theory of Markov Processes and Their Application (McGraw Hill, 1960; Dover, 1997)[3]
  • Random Integral Equations (Academic Press, 1972)[4]
  • Random Polynomials (with M. Sambandham, Academic Press, 1986)[5]

He is also the editor of:

  • Probabilistic Methods in Applied Mathematics (edited, Academic Press, Vol. I, 1968; Vol. II, 1970)[6]
  • Probabilistic Analysis and Related Topics (edited, Academic Press, Vol. I, 1978; Vol. II, 1979; Vol. III, 1983)
  • Approximate Solution of Random Equations (North-Holland, 1979)

References
  1. Spangenburg, Ray, Kit Moser, and Steven Otfinoski (2012). "Bharucha-Reid, Albert Turner." African-American History Online [subscription required]. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  2. Williams, Scott W. (2008)."Mathematicians of the African Diaspora: Albert Turner Bharucha-Reid". The Mathematics Department of the State University of New York at Buffalo. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  3. Reviews of Elements of the Theory of Markov Processes: J. L. Doob, MR0112177; R. Theodoreacu, Zbl 0095.32803
  4. Reviews of Random Integral Equations: J. S. Milton, MR0443086; S. Solomon, Zbl 0327.60040
  5. Reviews of Random Polynomials: Jürgen vom Scheidt (1987), MR0856019; V. Thangaraj, Zbl 0615.60058
  6. Review of Probabilistic Methods in Applied Mathematics: J. Pickands, Zbl 0214.15601
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