The doctoral dissertation titled Obstructions to sectioning fibre bundles, completed by Wu-Chung Hsiang at Princeton University in 1963, marked the beginning of a significant career in mathematics. Hsiang has since established himself as a prominent figure in the field of topology, contributing extensively to algebraic and differential topology through various academic appointments in the United States.
Early Education and Academic Origins
Born in 1935 in Yueqing, Hsiang completed his foundational education at Shanghai High School before transitioning to higher studies in Taiwan. He attended National Taiwan University, where he initially pursued physics before shifting his focus to mathematics. After graduating in 1957, he spent time as a research fellow at Academia Sinica following a period of military service. He moved to the United States in 1959 to attend Princeton University on a scholarship, eventually completing his Ph.D. under the supervision of Norman Steenrod.
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Hsiang’s research significantly impacted the field of differential topology. During the 1960s, he collaborated with mathematicians such as Julius Shaneson, C. T. C. Wall, Robion Kirby, Laurent Siebenmann, and Andrew Casson to resolve the annulus conjecture, which is essential to the theory of manifold triangulation. In partnership with F. Thomas Farrell, he focused on the Novikov and Borel conjectures, developing specific proofs for the integral Novikov conjecture as it applies to compact Riemannian manifolds with non-positive sectional curvature. Additionally, he conducted research regarding the topological properties of simply-connected 4-manifolds.
University Appointments and Recognition
Throughout his career, Hsiang held faculty positions at Yale University, rising from lecturer in 1962 to full professor by 1968. In 1972, he joined Princeton University, where he served as department chair from 1982 to 1985 until his retirement as professor emeritus in 2006. He maintained affiliations as a visiting scholar or professor at institutions including the Institute for Advanced Study, the University of Warwick, the University of Amsterdam, the University of Bonn, the University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University. His professional work earned him a Guggenheim Fellowship, membership in Academia Sinica, and a fellowship with the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Fast facts
- Born: 1935, Yueqing
- Citizenship: United States
- Doctoral Advisor: Norman Steenrod
- Fields: Topology, Geometry
- Academic retirement: 2006
- Awarded Guggenheim Fellowship: 1975–1976
- Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences: 1989
Questions readers ask
What is the focus of Wu-Chung Hsiang's research?
He specializes in topology, specifically algebraic and differential topology, with work related to manifold theory and conjectures such as the Novikov and Borel conjectures.
Where did Wu-Chung Hsiang hold teaching positions?
He was a faculty member at Yale University and Princeton University, where he served as the mathematics department chair between 1982 and 1985.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of California, Berkeley
- Fields: topology
