Luis J. Davidson San Juan ( – ) was a Cuban mathematician, professor and Doctor in Mathematics, known for his contributions to the fields of mathematics and

pedagogy Pedagogy (), most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political, and psychological development of learners. Pedagogy, taken ...

. He is renowned for receiving the

Paul Erdős Award The Paul Erdős Award, named after Paul Erdős, is given by the World Federation of National Mathematics Competitions for those who "have played a significant role in the development of mathematical challenges at the national or international le ...

in 1992 by the

International Commission on Mathematical Instruction The International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) is a commission of the International Mathematical Union and is an internationally acting organization focusing on mathematics education. ICMI was founded in 1908 at the International ...

, and for being awarded the distinction of Maestro Founder of Mathematics in Ibero-America by the

Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture The Organization of Ibero-American States (, , ; abbreviated as OEI), formally the Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture, is an international organization made up of 23 members states of Iberophone nations in E ...

. He was the Vice President of the

International Mathematical Olympiad The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is a mathematical olympiad for pre-university students, and is the oldest of the International Science Olympiads. It is widely regarded as the most prestigious mathematical competition in the wor ...

Site Committee in 1988. And he is the author of many books, including ''Equations and mathematicians'' (2008), and ''Problems of elementary mathematics'' (1987).

Life

Born in

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

on September 10, 1921, he earned the Doctorate in Physics and Mathematical Sciences from the iversity of Havana in 1944 with the thesis entitled ''Developments on the series of analytic functions''. From 1945 to 1961 he taught at the Instituto de Segunda Enseñanza in

Matanzas Matanzas (Cuban ; ) is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas Province, Matanzas. Known for its poets, culture, and Afro-American religions, Afro-Cuban folklore, it is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Mat ...

, and in 1950 he was part of the delegation that represented Cuba at the International Congress of Mathematicians at Harvard University. In 1960, he held the position of National Inspector of Mathematics. And starting in 1963, he organized competitions in mathematics for pre-collegiate students throughout Cuba. In 1971, he represented Cuba, as Head of the national delegation in the

, and in 1988, while a member of the organization, he became the Vice President for the IMO Site Committee. In 1990 he participated in the First Congress of The World Federation of National Mathematics Competitions at Waterloo, and in 1992 he was awarded the

from the International Commission of Mathematical Instruction that was held in Québec, Canada. Some of his books that were published in Spanish are ''Contests in mathematics'' (1974), ''Problems in elementary mathematics'' (1987), and ''Equations and mathematicians'' (1988). The latter was part of a series that he planned to write about: a story about mathematicians and the problems they have solved. He died on November 10, 2011.

Publications

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References

20th-century Cuban mathematicians 1921 births 2011 deaths University of Havana alumni {{authority control