The doctoral thesis titled The Crystals Associated to Barsotti–Tate Groups: With Applications to Abelian Schemes established William Messing as a notable contributor to arithmetic algebraic geometry in 1971. His research focuses on p-divisible groups, bridging complex theoretical frameworks established during the mid-twentieth century with applications to abelian schemes and cohomology.
Academic Foundation
Before his professional career, Messing attended Samuel J. Tilden High School. He later pursued advanced studies at Princeton University, where he completed his doctoral requirements under the guidance of Alexander Grothendieck and Nicholas Katz. His dissertation, published as a Springer Lecture Note in 1972, addressed the mathematical structures surrounding Barsotti–Tate groups, which had been previously explored by Dieudonné during his analysis of Lie algebras.
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Following his graduation, Messing held a position as a C.L.E. Moore instructor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1972. His career eventually centered at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, where he held the rank of professor before reaching emeritus status. Throughout his time in academia, he focused on the intricate intersections of arithmetic geometry and the crystalline properties of mathematical objects.
Collaborative Research
Messing participated in significant collaborative projects throughout his career, working alongside mathematicians including Pierre Berthelot, Barry Mazur, and Aise Johan de Jong. His work on crystalline Dieudonné theory was published in several volumes, including contributions to the Grothendieck Festschrift in 1990 and various Springer Lecture Notes in Mathematics. These texts detail the development of universal extensions and one-dimensional crystalline cohomology.
Fast facts
- Born: 2000
- Citizenship: United States
- Field of Study: Arithmetic algebraic geometry
- Education: Princeton University
- High School: Samuel J. Tilden High School
- Notable Employer: University of Minnesota
- Primary Collaborator: Pierre Berthelot
Questions readers ask
What is William Messing's primary field of research?
He specializes in arithmetic algebraic geometry, specifically focusing on Barsotti–Tate groups and crystalline cohomology.
Where did William Messing hold his professorship?
He was a faculty member at the University of Minnesota, where he currently holds the title of professor emeritus.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of Minnesota
- Fields: mathematics, algebraic geometry and Lie algebra
