Melvin Currie
Melvin Currie | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1948 |
| Alma mater | Yale University University of Pittsburgh |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Doctoral advisor | William Fleissner |
Melvin Robert Currie is an American mathematician and cryptographer and a former Chief of the Cryptographic Research and Design Division at the National Security Agency. His recognitions include a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Mathematicians, the 2007 Crypto-Mathematics Institute's Leadership Award, the NSA Director's Distinguished Service Medal, and recognition as a Black History Month 2019 Honoree by Mathematically Gifted & Black.[1][2] He is the author of the 2018 popular mathematics book Mathematics: Rhyme and Reason, published jointly by the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute.[3] Currie is also the author of the 2019 novel Just Before Too Late.
Early life
[edit]Currie is African-American. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1948. His parents separated when he was six. Currie spent the rest of his childhood living with his mother, younger brother, and maternal grandparents.[4]
His uncle is jazz musician Ahmad Jamal.[5]
Education
[edit]Currie received a BA from Yale University, where he majored in mathematics and economics. He went to graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh.[4] He received his PhD in mathematics in 1983; his advisor was William Fleissner, and the title of his dissertation was A metric characterization of the irrationals via a group operation.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Dr. Mel Currie, Southwestern District". Baltimore City Office of Civil Rights. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- ^ "Melvin Currie". Mathematically Gifted & Black.
- ^ "Mathematics: Rhyme and Reason". AMS Bookstore. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Melvin Robert Currie". Mathematical Association of America. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
- ^ Williams, Scott. "Melvin Robert Currie". Mathematicians of the African Diaspora. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- ^ Melvin Currie at the Mathematics Genealogy Project
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- African-American government officials
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- 20th-century American mathematicians
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- 1948 births
- African-American mathematicians
- University of Pittsburgh alumni
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