Florence Eliza Allen

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Florence Eliza Allen (October 4, 1876 – December 31, 1960) was an American mathematician and women's suffrage activist.[1][2] In 1907 she became the second woman to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and the fourth Ph.D. overall from that department.

Biography[edit]

Allen was born in Horicon, Wisconsin.[3] She had an older brother and her father was a lawyer.

Florence Allen received her bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin in 1900. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa as an undergrad, and Delta Delta Delta as a Ph.D.[1][2] She held leadership positions in a fine arts and literary society for women. She stayed at the University of Wisconsin as a resident and received her master's degree in 1901.[4]

Florence Allen continued to work at the University of Wisconsin as an assistant and became an instructor in 1902.[5] She received her doctorate in 1907 in geometry,[6] after which she remained at UW–Madison; she became an assistant professor in 1945, and retired in 1947.[4] She died at the age of 84 in 1960 in Madison, Wisconsin.[3][4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Biographies of Women Mathematicians". Agnes Scott College. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  2. ^ a b Leonard, John William (1914). Woman's Who's Who of America. New York: American Commonwealth Company. p. 43. ISBN 0-8103-4018-6.
  3. ^ a b "Florence Allen, Ex-U.W. Faculty Member, 84, Dies". Wisconsin State Journal. January 1, 1961. p. 12. Retrieved October 25, 2019 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ a b c Green, Judy; LaDuke, Jeanne (2009). Pioneering Women in American Mathematics: The Pre-1940 PhD's. American Mathematical Soc. p. 123.
  5. ^ "The University Board of Regents". Wisconsin State Journal. May 8, 1902. p. 2. Retrieved October 26, 2019 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ Florence Eliza Allen at the Mathematics Genealogy Project