Frank Harary was a prolific American mathematician who established himself as a central figure in modern graph theory. Over the course of his career, he authored more than 800 papers, second only to Paul Erdős, while standardizing the technical language of the field and applying its principles to physics, sociology, and anthropology.
Academic Foundation
Born in New York City in 1921, Harary completed his undergraduate and master's studies at Brooklyn College between 1938 and 1945. He furthered his mathematical training at Princeton University from 1943 to 1944 and the University of California, Berkeley, from 1946 to 1948, where he earned his Ph.D. under Alfred L. Foster.
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Harary began his long tenure at the University of Michigan in 1948 as a research assistant, eventually securing a professorship in 1964. He remained there until 1986. Following his retirement from Michigan, he transitioned to New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, serving as a distinguished professor of computer science until his death in 2005.
Research and Contributions
Specializing in graph theory, Harary founded the Journal of Combinatorial Theory and the Journal of Graph Theory. His notable outputs include the Goldner–Harary graph, the Battle-Harary-Kodama theorem, and his widely recognized textbook, Graph Theory. He also developed generalized tic-tac-toe and pioneered the study of signed graphs based on social psychology.
Global Outreach
Harary was noted for his extensive international travel, delivering lectures in 274 cities across 80 countries. He maintained a documented goal of lecturing in cities beginning with every letter of the alphabet, successfully including Xanten, Germany. His work also reached popular culture, with his research on tree enumeration appearing in the film Good Will Hunting.
Fast facts
- Born: 1921, New York City
- Died: 2005, Las Cruces
- Primary Field: Graph theory
- Education: Brooklyn College, Princeton, UC Berkeley
- Major Employer: University of Michigan (1948-1986)
- Notable Award: Humboldt Prize (1978)
- Erdős Number: 1
- Burial Site: Masonic Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was Frank Harary's primary contribution to mathematics?
He is credited with standardizing the terminology of graph theory and broadening the field's reach to include physics, sociology, and anthropology.
How many papers did Frank Harary publish?
He published over 800 papers during his career, the most of any mathematician other than Paul Erdős.
Achievements
- Notable work: Goldner–Harary graph
- Notable work: Battle-Harary-Kodama theorem
- Notable work: Graph theory / Frank Harary
- Affiliated with University of Michigan
- Educated at University of California, Berkeley, Princeton University and New York University
- Worked as mathematician and university teacher
