Born in 1945 in Rohr, Switzerland, Erwin Bolthausen established a career spanning decades within the fields of probability theory and mathematical physics. His academic trajectory, rooted in studies at ETH Zurich, progressed through appointments in Frankfurt and Berlin before he returned to Switzerland to hold a full professorship at the University of Zurich.
Academic Formation and Early Research
Bolthausen earned his doctorate in 1973 under the supervision of Beno Eckmann at ETH Zurich. His dissertation addressed simple isomorphic types in localized categories and homotopy types of polyhedra. Following the completion of his habilitation at the University of Konstanz in 1978, he spent one year as an associate professor at Goethe University Frankfurt. His early work concentrated on martingale convergence theorems, large deviations theory, and combinatorial limit theorems, establishing a foundation in probabilistic analysis.
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From 1979 until 1990, Bolthausen held a full professorship at the Technische Universität Berlin. In 1990, he transitioned to the University of Zurich, where he continued his teaching and research. He served as the head of the Institut für Mathematik at the University of Zurich from 1998 to 2001. Throughout his tenure, he contributed to the broader scientific community, including service as a member of the scientific advisory board of the École d'Eté de Probabilités de Saint-Flour and the Board of Trustees of the Swiss National Science Foundation.
Stochastic Models in Physics
Bolthausen expanded his research focus to stochastic models applied to mathematical physics. This work encompassed investigations into random media, spin glasses, polymers, and random interfaces, specifically addressing wetting phenomena and entropic repulsion. He shared his findings at major international gatherings, including the International Congress of Mathematicians in Beijing in 2002 and the European Congress of Mathematicians in Budapest in 1996. His publications include numerous articles in the Annals of Probability and Communications in Mathematical Physics, as well as editorial roles for the Annals of Statistics and Probability Theory and Related Fields.
Fast facts
- Born: 1945, Rohr, Switzerland
- Education: ETH Zurich
- Awards: Fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (2008)
- Membership: German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
- Primary Field: Probability theory
Questions readers ask
Where did Erwin Bolthausen complete his doctoral studies?
He earned his doctorate in mathematics from ETH Zurich in 1973 under the supervision of Beno Eckmann.
What specific areas of physics has he addressed using probability theory?
His research has covered random media, polymers, spin glasses, and random interfaces including entropic repulsion.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of Zurich and Technische Universität Berlin
- Fields: mathematics and probability theory
