Sumner Byron Myers (February 19, 1910 – October 8, 1955) was an American

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, mathematical structure, structure, space, Mathematica ...

specializing in

topology Topology (from the Greek language, Greek words , and ) is the branch of mathematics concerned with the properties of a Mathematical object, geometric object that are preserved under Continuous function, continuous Deformation theory, deformat ...

and

differential geometry Differential geometry is a Mathematics, mathematical discipline that studies the geometry of smooth shapes and smooth spaces, otherwise known as smooth manifolds. It uses the techniques of Calculus, single variable calculus, vector calculus, lin ...

. He studied at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

under H. C. Marston Morse, Tucker, A:
Interview with Albert Tucker
'', Princeton University, July 11, 1984. Last accessed January 1, 2010. where he graduated with a Ph.D. in 1932.Mathematics Genealogy Project:
Sumner Byron Myers
', no date. Last accessed December 5, 2005. Myers then pursued postdoctoral studies at

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

(1934–1936)Princeton University:
Members of the School of Mathematics
'', no date. Last accessed December 5, 2005. before becoming a professor for mathematics at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

. He died unexpectedly from a heart attack during the 1955 Michigan–Army football game at

Michigan Stadium Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "the Big House," is the American football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is the largest stadium in the United States and the Western Hemisphere, the third-largest stadium in the wo ...

Sumner B. Myers Prize

The Sumner B. Myers Prize was created in his honor for distinguished theses within the LSA Mathematics Department.University of Michigan:
Sumner Myers Award
', no date. Last accessed December 5, 2005. Notable recipients include

June Huh June E Huh (; born June 9, 1983) is an American mathematician who is currently a professor at Princeton University. Previously, he was a professor at Stanford University. He was awarded the Fields Medal and a MacArthur Fellowship in 2022. He ha ...

, Mary Wootters, and Theodore J. Kaczynski.

Sumner B. Myers Prize

References

Further reading