4. Simon Newcomb

President, 1897–1898

Newcomb was born in Nova Scotia, and had no formal education other than from his father. He emigrated from Nova Scotia at age eighteen and became one of the most honored scientists of his time. He published important work in astronomy and devoted much thought to the mathematics of hyperspace, group theory and projective geometry, and also wrote on topics as diverse as meteorology, aerial flight, occultism and life insurance. Newcomb served as president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1877, and was a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

Additional information

• MR Author Profile
• A Semicentennial History of the American Mathematical Society, 1888--1938, by Raymond Clare Archibald (AMS, 1938), which contains CV, honors, bibliography, biographical notes and sources.
• The MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
• Bruce Medalists
• College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University Physics Department
• Internet Modern History Sourcebook