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{{Short description|British mathematician}}
{{Short description|British mathematician (born 1931)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{ Infobox scientist
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Bryan John Birch
| name = Bryan John Birch
| image = Bryan Birch 2011.png
| image = Bryan Birch 2011.png
| image_size = 250px
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Birch explaining the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture at the University of Cambridge in May 2011
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1931|09|25|df=y}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1931|09|25|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Burton-upon-Trent]], England, United Kingdom
| birth_place = [[Burton-upon-Trent]], England
| death_date =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_place =
| nationality = British
| nationality = British
| fields = [[Mathematics]]
| fields = [[Mathematics]]
| workplaces = [[University of Oxford]]
| workplaces = [[University of Oxford]]
| alma_mater = [[University of Cambridge]]
| alma_mater = [[Trinity College, Cambridge]]
| doctoral_advisor = [[J. W. S. Cassels]]
| doctoral_advisor = [[J. W. S. Cassels]]
| doctoral_students = [[Kaye Stacey]]
| doctoral_students = [[Kaye Stacey]]
| known_for = [[Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture]]<br />[[Birch–Tate conjecture]]<br />[[Birch's theorem]]<br />[[Heegner point]]<br />[[Modular symbol]]
| known_for = [[Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture]]<br />[[Birch–Tate conjecture]]<br />[[Birch's theorem]]<br />[[Heegner point]]<br />[[Modular symbol]]
⚫
| awards = {{Nowrap|[[Senior Whitehead Prize]] (1993)<br />[[De Morgan Medal]] (2007)<br />[[Sylvester Medal]] (2020)}}
| influences = [[Harold Davenport]]
| influenced =
⚫
| awards = [[Senior Whitehead Prize]] <small>(1993)</small><br />[[De Morgan Medal]] {{small|(2007)}}<br />[[Sylvester Medal]] {{small|(2020)}}
}}
}}

'''Bryan John Birch''' [[Fellow of the Royal Society|FRS]] (born 25 September 1931) is a British [[mathematician]]. His name has been given to the [[Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture]].
'''Bryan John Birch''' [[Fellow of the Royal Society|FRS]] (born 25 September 1931) is a British mathematician. His name has been given to the [[Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture]].


==Biography==
==Biography==
Bryan John Birch was born in [[Burton-on-Trent]], the son of Arthur Jack and Mary Edith Birch. He was educated at Shrewsbury School and [[Trinity College, Cambridge]]. He married Gina Margaret Christ in 1961. They have three children.
Bryan John Birch was born in [[Burton-on-Trent]], the son of Arthur Jack and Mary Edith Birch. He was educated at Shrewsbury School and [[Trinity College, Cambridge]]. He married Gina Margaret Christ in 1961. They have three children.


As a doctoral student at the [[University of Cambridge]], he was officially working under [[J. W. S. Cassels]]. More influenced by [[Harold Davenport]], he proved [[Birch's theorem]], one of the results to come out of the [[Hardy–Littlewood circle method]]; it shows that odd-degree [[rational number|rational]] [[homogeneous polynomial|form]]s in a large enough set of variables must have zeroes.
As a doctoral student at the [[University of Cambridge]], he was officially working under [[J. W. S. Cassels]]. More influenced by [[Harold Davenport]], he proved [[Birch's theorem]], one of the results to come out of the [[Hardy–Littlewood circle method]].


He then worked with [[Peter Swinnerton-Dyer]] on computations relating to the [[Hasse–Weil L-function]]s of [[elliptic curve]]s. Their subsequently formulated conjecture relating the [[rank of an elliptic curve]] to the order of zero of an L-function was an influence on the development of [[number theory]] from the mid-1960s onwards. {{As of|2016}} only partial results have been obtained.
He then worked with [[Peter Swinnerton-Dyer]] on computations relating to the [[Hasse–Weil L-function]]s of [[elliptic curve]]s. Their subsequently formulated conjecture relating the [[rank of an elliptic curve]] to the order of zero of an L-function has been an influence on the development of [[number theory]] from the mid-1960s onwards.


He introduced [[modular symbol]]s in about 1971.
He introduced [[modular symbol]]s in about 1971.


In later work he contributed to [[algebraic K-theory|algebraic ''K''-theory]] ([[Birch–Tate conjecture]]). He then formulated ideas on the role of [[Heegner point]]s (he had been one of those reconsidering [[Kurt Heegner]]'s original work on the [[class number one problem]], which had not initially gained acceptance). Birch put together the context in which the [[Gross–Zagier theorem]] was proved; the correspondence is now published.
In later work he contributed to [[algebraic K-theory|algebraic ''K''-theory]] ([[Birch–Tate conjecture]]). He then formulated ideas on the role of [[Heegner point]]s (he was one of those reconsidering [[Kurt Heegner]]'s original work on the [[class number one problem]], which had not initially gained acceptance). Birch put together the context in which the [[Gross–Zagier theorem]] was proved; the correspondence is now published.<ref name="Heegner Pts Darmon Zhang">{{cite book | last1=Darmon | first1=Henri | last2=Zhang | first2=Shouwu | title=Heegner points and Rankin L-series | publisher=Cambridge University Press | publication-place=Cambridge, UK | date=2004 | isbn=0-511-21189-9 | oclc=173610084 | page=}}</ref>


Birch was a visiting scholar at the [[Institute for Advanced Study]] in the fall of 1983.<ref>[http://www.ias.edu/people/cos/ Institute for Advanced Study: A Community of Scholars]</ref> He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1972; was awarded the [[Senior Whitehead Prize]] in 1993 and the [[De Morgan Medal]] in 2007 both of the [[London Mathematical Society]]. In 2012 he became a fellow of the [[American Mathematical Society]].<ref>[https://www.ams.org/profession/fellows-list List of Fellows of the American Mathematical Society], retrieved 2012-11-10.</ref> In 2020 he was awarded the [[Sylvester Medal]] by the [[Royal Society]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/awards/sylvester-medal/ |title=Sylvester medallist 2020 |website=Awards |publisher=[[Royal Society]] |access-date=6 August 2020 }}</ref>
Birch was a visiting scholar at the [[Institute for Advanced Study]] in the fall of 1983.<ref>[http://www.ias.edu/people/cos/ Institute for Advanced Study: A Community of Scholars]</ref> He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1972; was awarded the [[Senior Whitehead Prize]] in 1993 and the [[De Morgan Medal]] in 2007 both of the [[London Mathematical Society]]. In 2012 he became a fellow of the [[American Mathematical Society]].<ref>[https://www.ams.org/profession/fellows-list List of Fellows of the American Mathematical Society], retrieved 2012-11-10.</ref> In 2020 he was awarded the [[Sylvester Medal]] by the [[Royal Society]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/awards/sylvester-medal/ |title=Sylvester medallist 2020 |website=Awards |publisher=[[Royal Society]] |access-date=6 August 2020 }}</ref>
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==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=3NSTvJvIZR4C&pg=PA1671&lpg=PA1671&dq=Robert+kerneys+thomas+frs&source=bl&ots=unXdAG2b0K&sig=R5sHnte3JL7FkMoTjEKQzy3quu4&hl=en&ei=TZD1S8qzENuTsQaqlvmPBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=frs&f=false International Who's Who]
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=3NSTvJvIZR4C&q=frs&pg=PA1671 International Who's Who]


== External links ==
== External links ==

Latest revision as of 03:42, 18 May 2024

Bryan John Birch
Birch explaining the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture at the University of Cambridge in May 2011
Born (1931-09-25) 25 September 1931 (age 93)
Burton-upon-Trent, England
NationalityBritish
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge
Known forBirch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture
Birch–Tate conjecture
Birch's theorem
Heegner point
Modular symbol
AwardsSenior Whitehead Prize (1993)
De Morgan Medal (2007)
Sylvester Medal (2020)
Scientific career
FieldsMathematics
InstitutionsUniversity of Oxford
Doctoral advisorJ. W. S. Cassels
Doctoral studentsKaye Stacey

Bryan John Birch FRS (born 25 September 1931) is a British mathematician. His name has been given to the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture.

Biography

[edit]

Bryan John Birch was born in Burton-on-Trent, the son of Arthur Jack and Mary Edith Birch. He was educated at Shrewsbury School and Trinity College, Cambridge. He married Gina Margaret Christ in 1961. They have three children.

As a doctoral student at the University of Cambridge, he was officially working under J. W. S. Cassels. More influenced by Harold Davenport, he proved Birch's theorem, one of the results to come out of the Hardy–Littlewood circle method.

He then worked with Peter Swinnerton-Dyer on computations relating to the Hasse–Weil L-functions of elliptic curves. Their subsequently formulated conjecture relating the rank of an elliptic curve to the order of zero of an L-function has been an influence on the development of number theory from the mid-1960s onwards.

He introduced modular symbols in about 1971.

In later work he contributed to algebraic K-theory (Birch–Tate conjecture). He then formulated ideas on the role of Heegner points (he was one of those reconsidering Kurt Heegner's original work on the class number one problem, which had not initially gained acceptance). Birch put together the context in which the Gross–Zagier theorem was proved; the correspondence is now published.[1]

Birch was a visiting scholar at the Institute for Advanced Study in the fall of 1983.[2] He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1972; was awarded the Senior Whitehead Prize in 1993 and the De Morgan Medal in 2007 both of the London Mathematical Society. In 2012 he became a fellow of the American Mathematical Society.[3] In 2020 he was awarded the Sylvester Medal by the Royal Society.[4]

Selected publications

[edit]
  • Computers in Number Theory. (editor). London: Academic Press, 1973.
  • Modular function of one variable IV (editor) with W. Kuyk. Lecture Notes in Mathematics 476. Berlin: Springer Verlag, 1975. ISBN 3-540-07392-2
  • The Collected Works of Harold Davenport. (editor). London: Academic Press, 1977.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Darmon, Henri; Zhang, Shouwu (2004). Heegner points and Rankin L-series. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-511-21189-9. OCLC 173610084.
  2. ^ Institute for Advanced Study: A Community of Scholars
  3. ^ List of Fellows of the American Mathematical Society, retrieved 2012-11-10.
  4. ^ "Sylvester medallist 2020". Awards. Royal Society. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
[edit]
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