Claus Michael Ringel

German mathematician

Diagonalisierungspaare in der Homologischen Algebra served as the 1969 doctoral thesis for Claus Michael Ringel, marking the start of a long academic engagement with representation theory. Born on 10 February 1945 in Zwickau, Germany, Ringel pursued an extensive career in higher education, holding professorships at several institutions and contributing significantly to the field of algebra through numerous publications.

Academic Formation and Early Career

Ringel began his university studies in 1964 at the Goethe University Frankfurt, focusing on mathematics, physics, and philosophy. He completed his Diplom in 1968 and earned his doctorate the following year under the supervision of Friedrich-Wilhelm Bauer. His early professional path took him to the University of Tübingen as a research assistant, where he also habilitated in 1972 and served as a Universitätsdozent. During this period, he spent time at Carleton University in 1971 and 1972 as an assistant professor, collaborating with Vlastimil Dlab.

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Professional Appointments

In 1974, Ringel accepted a position as a scientific advisor and professor at the University of Bonn. He later transitioned to Bielefeld University in 1978, where he remained until his retirement in 2010. His international presence includes serving as a visiting professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University between 2010 and 2013, as well as holding visiting and adjunct positions at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei and King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah.

Research and Contributions to Algebra

The core of Ringel’s research involves the representation theory of algebras. His work within the Collaborative Research Center 343 focused on the representation of algebras and the structure of quantum groups, while his involvement with the Collaborative Research Center 701 addressed spectral structures and topological methods. He has authored or edited several books, including Tame Algebras and Integral Quadratic Forms and Infinite Length Modules, and published over 140 papers by 2005. His efforts were recognized by his selection as an Invited Speaker at the 1983 International Congress of Mathematicians.

Professional Recognition

Ringel was elected a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society in 2012. He is a member of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters and holds an honorary doctorate from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Between 2005 and 2006, he presided over the Review Board for Mathematics at the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. In 2004, he was identified by the ISI as a Highly Cited Researcher.

Fast facts

Questions readers ask

What is Claus Michael Ringel's primary area of study?

He specializes in the representation theory of algebras.

Where did Ringel spend most of his career?

He served as a professor at Bielefeld University from 1978 until his retirement in 2010.

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