The Quillen-Lichtenbaum conjecture emerged in 1971 to connect the values of the Dedekind zeta function of number fields at negative integers. Stephen Lichtenbaum, an American mathematician born in Brooklyn in 1939, formulated this work alongside Daniel Quillen, marking a significant contribution to the fields of algebraic geometry, algebraic K-theory, and algebraic number theory.
Academic Foundation
Lichtenbaum completed his undergraduate education at Harvard University, earning a bachelor's degree summa cum laude in 1960. He remained at the institution to pursue graduate studies, receiving his Ph.D. in 1964. His doctoral thesis, titled Curves over discrete valuation rings, was published in the American Journal of Mathematics in 1968. Early in his career, he served as a lecturer at Princeton University.
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Following his time at Princeton, Lichtenbaum joined the faculty at Cornell University. He started as an assistant professor, advancing to associate professor in 1969 and full professor in 1973. During his tenure there, he served on the Faculty Board from 1979 to 1982. In 1990, he transitioned to Brown University, where he held the position of chairman from 1994 to 1997. Additionally, he has served as an associate professor at the University of Paris Chevalaret since 2003.
Research and Professional Distinctions
Lichtenbaum’s research career includes numerous visiting positions at institutions such as the Institute for Advanced Study, the University of Paris, IHES, MSRI, and the Isaac Newton Institute. He received recognition as a Putnam Fellow in 1959 and a Guggenheim Fellow during the 1973-1974 academic year. Since 1995, he has acted as a co-editor for the journal Documenta Mathematica. In 2013, he was named a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society, an organization in which he maintains active membership.
Fast facts
- Born: 1939, Brooklyn
- Education: Harvard University
- Notable work: Quillen-Lichtenbaum conjecture
- Professional appointments: Cornell University, Brown University
- Fellowships: Putnam Fellow, Guggenheim Fellow
- Editorial work: Co-editor of Documenta Mathematica
- AMS status: Fellow since 2013
Questions readers ask
What is the primary focus of Lichtenbaum's research?
His work centers on algebraic geometry, algebraic number theory, and algebraic K-theory.
Which universities have employed Lichtenbaum?
He has held academic positions at Princeton University, Cornell University, Brown University, and the University of Paris Chevalaret.
Achievements
- Held posts at Brown University, Cornell University and Brown University
- Fields: mathematics
