The Gould-Hsu Matrix Inversion Formula, established in 1973, remains a primary contribution of Leetsch C. Hsu, a mathematician who navigated significant shifts in Chinese higher education. Born in 1920 in Zhangjiagang, he navigated the tumultuous decades of the 20th century to build institutional foundations for mathematics research and pedagogy across several major academic centers.
Early Education and Research
Known originally as Xu Quanyong, Hsu attended the Jiangsu Provincial Luoshe Normal School. In 1940, he passed the entrance examination for the National Southwestern Associated University in Kunming. There, he studied under Hua Luogeng and Pao-Lu Hsu. Upon his graduation in 1945, he served as a teaching assistant to Hua Luogeng. Following the 1946 disbanding of the wartime university, he joined the staff at the reestablished Tsinghua University.
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In 1949, a British Council scholarship enabled Hsu to pursue two years of study in the United Kingdom. He spent one year at the University of Aberdeen followed by a year at the University of Cambridge. Returning to China in 1951, he resumed his duties at Tsinghua University and Beijing Normal University. In 1952, he relocated to Changchun to assist Wang Xianghao and Jiang Zejian in creating the Department of Mathematics at Northeast People's University, later known as Jilin University. He was appointed a full professor there in 1956 and initiated the university's program in computational mathematics.
Professional Expansion and Global Collaboration
Hsu moved to the Dalian University of Technology in 1980, where he founded the Institute of Applied Mathematics and the Journal of Mathematical Research with Applications. He served as the journal's chief editor. His administrative career included chairing the Department of Mathematics at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology. He also served as a visiting professor at Texas A&M University from 1986 to 1987 and was designated Honorary Dean of the School of Science at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Mathematical Legacy
Hsu authored more than 170 research papers and over 10 monographs throughout his career, focusing on approximation theory, asymptotic analysis, and combinatorics. His partnership with American mathematician Henry W. Gould, initiated in 1965, predated the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and China. This work resulted in the 1973 Gould-Hsu Matrix Inversion Formula. Over his career, he supervised 20 doctoral students and received various national and international honors before his death in Beijing on 11 March 2019.
Fast facts
- Born: 23 September 1920, Zhangjiagang
- Died: 11 March 2019, Beijing
- Primary Fields: Asymptotic analysis, approximation theory, combinatorics
- Major Invention: Gould–Hsu Matrix Inversion Formula (1973)
- Alma Mater: National Southwestern Associated University, University of Aberdeen, University of Cambridge
- Key Academic Roles: Professor at Jilin University, Dalian University of Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
- Research Output: 170+ papers, 10+ monographs
- Doctoral Students Supervised: 20
Questions readers ask
What is the Gould-Hsu Matrix Inversion Formula?
It is a mathematical tool established in 1973 by Leetsch C. Hsu and Henry W. Gould, used for calculating combinatorial identities.
Where did Leetsch C. Hsu teach?
He held positions at Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University, Jilin University, Dalian University of Technology, and the Huazhong University of Science and Technology.
Achievements
- Held posts at Tsinghua University, Dalian University of Technology and Huazhong University of Science and Technology
