Gunther Schmidt (born 1939,

Rüdersdorf Rüdersdorf is a Municipalities of Germany, municipality in the district Märkisch-Oderland, in Brandenburg, Germany, near Berlin. It is served by the Schöneiche bei Berlin tramway which runs from Rüdersdorf through Schöneiche to Berlin-Friedr ...

) is a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

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 ...

who works also in

informatics Informatics is the study of computational systems. According to the Association for Computing Machinery, ACM Europe Council and Informatics Europe, informatics is synonymous with computer science and computing as a profession, in which the centra ...

Life

Schmidt began studying Mathematics in 1957 at

Göttingen University Göttingen (, ; ; ) is a college town, university city in Lower Saxony, central Germany, the Capital (political), capital of Göttingen (district), the eponymous district. The River Leine runs through it. According to the 2022 German census, t ...

. His academic teachers were in particular Kurt Reidemeister, Wilhelm Klingenberg and Karl Stein. In 1960 he transferred to

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (simply University of Munich, LMU or LMU Munich; ) is a public university, public research university in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Originally established as the University of Ingolstadt in 1472 by Duke ...

where he studied

functions of several complex variables The theory of functions of several complex variables is the branch of mathematics dealing with functions defined on the complex coordinate space \mathbb C^n, that is, -tuples of complex numbers. The name of the field dealing with the properties ...

with Karl Stein. Schmidt wrote a thesis on

analytic continuation In complex analysis, a branch of mathematics, analytic continuation is a technique to extend the domain of definition of a given analytic function. Analytic continuation often succeeds in defining further values of a function, for example in a ne ...

of such functions. In 1962 Schmidt began work at

TU München The Technical University of Munich (TUM or TU Munich; ) is a public research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are "the ...

with students of Robert Sauer, in the beginning in labs and tutorials, later in mentoring and administration. Schmidt's interests turned toward programming when he collaborated with Hans Langmaack on

rewriting In mathematics, computer science, and logic, rewriting covers a wide range of methods of replacing subterms of a formula with other terms. Such methods may be achieved by rewriting systems (also known as rewrite systems, rewrite engines, or reduc ...

and the

braid group In mathematics, the braid group on strands (denoted B_n), also known as the Artin braid group, is the group whose elements are equivalence classes of Braid theory, -braids (e.g. under ambient isotopy), and whose group operation is composition of ...

in 1969.

Friedrich L. Bauer Friedrich Ludwig "Fritz" Bauer (10 June 1924 – 26 March 2015) was a German pioneer of computer science and professor at the Technical University of Munich. Life Bauer earned his Abitur in 1942 and served in the Wehrmacht during World War ...

and

Klaus Samelson Klaus Samelson (21 December 1918 – 25 May 1980) was a German mathematician, physicist, and computer pioneer in the area of programming language translation and push-pop stack algorithms for sequential formula translation on computers. Early ...

were establishing

software engineering Software engineering is a branch of both computer science and engineering focused on designing, developing, testing, and maintaining Application software, software applications. It involves applying engineering design process, engineering principl ...

at the university and Schmidt joined their group in 1974. In 1977 he submitted his

Habilitation Habilitation is the highest university degree, or the procedure by which it is achieved, in Germany, France, Italy, Poland and some other European and non-English-speaking countries. The candidate fulfills a university's set criteria of excelle ...

"Programs as partial graphs". He became a

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...

in 1980. Shortly after that, he was appointed to hold the chair of the late

for one and a half years. From 1988 until his retirement in 2004, he held a professorship at the Faculty for Computer Science of the Universität der Bundeswehr München. He was a classroom instructor for beginners courses as well as special courses in

mathematical logic Mathematical logic is the study of Logic#Formal logic, formal logic within mathematics. Major subareas include model theory, proof theory, set theory, and recursion theory (also known as computability theory). Research in mathematical logic com ...

, semantics of

programming language A programming language is a system of notation for writing computer programs. Programming languages are described in terms of their Syntax (programming languages), syntax (form) and semantics (computer science), semantics (meaning), usually def ...

s, construction of

compiler In computing, a compiler is a computer program that Translator (computing), translates computer code written in one programming language (the ''source'' language) into another language (the ''target'' language). The name "compiler" is primaril ...

s, and algorithmic languages. Working with Thomas Ströhlein, he authored a

textbook A textbook is a book containing a comprehensive compilation of content in a branch of study with the intention of explaining it. Textbooks are produced to meet the needs of educators, usually at educational institutions, but also of learners ( ...

on relations and

graph Graph may refer to: Mathematics *Graph (discrete mathematics), a structure made of vertices and edges **Graph theory, the study of such graphs and their properties *Graph (topology), a topological space resembling a graph in the sense of discret ...

s, published in German in 1989 and English in 1993. In 2011 followed the volume on Relational Mathematics in the Encyclopedia of Mathematics and its Applications. In 2001 he became involved in a large project (17 nations) with the European Cooperation in Science and Technology: Schmidt was chairman of project COST 274 TARSKI (Theory and Application of Relational Structures as Knowledge Instruments). In 2014 a

festschrift In academia, a ''Festschrift'' (; plural, ''Festschriften'' ) is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during their lifetime. It generally takes the form of an edited volume, containing contributions from the h ...

was organized to celebrate his 75th year. The

calculus of relations In mathematical logic, algebraic logic is the reasoning obtained by manipulating equations with free variables. What is now usually called classical algebraic logic focuses on the identification and algebraic description of models appropriate for ...

had a relatively low profile among mathematical topics in the twentieth century, but Schmidt and others have raised that profile. The

partial order In mathematics, especially order theory, a partial order on a set is an arrangement such that, for certain pairs of elements, one precedes the other. The word ''partial'' is used to indicate that not every pair of elements needs to be comparable ...

of binary relations can be organized by grouping through closure. In 2018 Schmidt and Michael Winter published ''Relational Topology'' which reviews classical

mathematical structure In mathematics, a structure on a set (or on some sets) refers to providing or endowing it (or them) with certain additional features (e.g. an operation, relation, metric, or topology). Τhe additional features are attached or related to the ...

s, such as

binary operation In mathematics, a binary operation or dyadic operation is a rule for combining two elements (called operands) to produce another element. More formally, a binary operation is an operation of arity two. More specifically, a binary operation ...

s and

topological space In mathematics, a topological space is, roughly speaking, a Geometry, geometrical space in which Closeness (mathematics), closeness is defined but cannot necessarily be measured by a numeric Distance (mathematics), distance. More specifically, a to ...

, through the lens of calculus of relations.

Work

In 1981 he participated in the International Summer School Marktoberdorf, and edited the lecture notes ''Theoretical Foundations of Programming Methodology'' with Manfred Broy. Gunther Schmidt is mainly known for his work on Relational Mathematics; he was co-founder of the RAMiCS conference series in 1994. His textbooks on calculus of relations exhibit applications and potential of

algebraic logic In mathematical logic, algebraic logic is the reasoning obtained by manipulating equations with Free variables and bound variables, free variables. What is now usually called classical algebraic logic focuses on the identification and algebraic de ...

Books

* 1989: (with Thomas Ströhlein) ''Relationen und Graphen'', Mathematik für Informatiker, Springer Verlag, , * 1993: (with Thomas Ströhlein) ''Relations and Graphs'' Discrete Mathematics for Computer Scientists, EATCS Monographs on Theoretical Computer Science, Springer Verlag, * 2011: ''Relational Mathematics'', Encyclopedia of Mathematics and its Applications, vol. 132,

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press was the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted a letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it was the oldest university press in the world. Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessme ...

* 2018: (with M. Winter) ''Relational Topology'',

Lecture Notes in Mathematics ''Lecture Notes in Mathematics'' is a book series in the field of mathematics, including articles related to both research and teaching. It was established in 1964 and was edited by A. Dold, Heidelberg and B. Eckmann, Zürich. Its publisher is Sp ...

vol. 2208, Springer Verlag, * 2020: ''Rückblick auf die Anfänge der Münchner Informatik'', Die blaue Stunde der Informatik, Springer-Vieweg, , * 2023: ''Mathematik als Wissenschaft in der Gesellschaft'', Springer-Spektrum,

Editorships

* 2006: (with de Swart, H. C. M., Orłowska, E., and Roubens, M.) ''Theory and Application of Relational Structures as Knowledge Instruments II'', Wrap-up volume of the COST Action 274: TARSKI,

Lecture Notes in Computer Science ''Lecture Notes in Computer Science'' is a series of computer science books published by Springer Science+Business Media since 1973. Overview The series contains proceedings, post-proceedings, monographs, and Festschrifts. In addition, tutorials ...

#4342, Springer , * 2003: (with de Swart, H. C. M., Orłowska, E., and Roubens, M.) ''Theory and Application of Relational Structures as Knowledge Instruments'', Kickoff volume of the COST Action 274: TARSKI,

#2929, Springer, * 2001: (with Parnas, D., Kahl, W.) Relational Methods in Software, Special Issue of ''Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science,'', vol. 44, numbers 3, * 1999: (with Jaoua, A.) Relational Methods in Computer Science, Special Issue of ''Information Sciences'', vol. 119, numbers 3+4, Elsevier * 1997: with Brink, C., Kahl, W.
Relational Methods in Computer Science
Advances in Computing Science. Springer * 1994: (with Mayr, E. W., and Tinhofer, G.) ''Graph-Theoretic Concepts in Computer Science'', vol. 903 of

, Proc. 20th Intern. Workshop WG '94, Jun 17–19, Herrsching, Springer 1994, * 1991: (with Berghammer, R.) ''Graph-Theoretic Concepts in Computer Science'', vol. 570 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Proc. 17th Intern. Workshop WG '91, Jun 17-19, Richterheim Fischbachau, Springer 1991, , * 1987: (with Tinhofer, G) ''Graph-Theoretic Concepts in Computer Science'' vol. 246 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Proc. 12th Intern. Workshop WG '86, Jun 17–19, Kloster Bernried, Springer, , * 1982: (with Broy, M.) ''Theoretical Foundations of Programming Methodology''. Reidel Publishers, . * 1981: (with Bauer, F. L.) ''Erinnerungen an Robert Sauer, Beiträge zum Gedächtniskolloquium anläßlich seines 10. Todestages'', Springer

References

External links

Homepage
at Universität der Bundeswehr München with access to a full list of publications and talks * * *
researchr
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Schmidt, Gunther 1939 births 20th-century German mathematicians 21st-century German mathematicians People from Märkisch-Oderland Living people German Lutherans Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich alumni Academic staff of the Technical University of Munich Academic staff of Bundeswehr University Munich Formal methods people Programming language researchers German textbook writers Computer science writers German theoretical computer scientists