Jesper Lützen

Short presentation

Expert in the history of mathematics

Primary fields of research

The history of mathematics in the period 1800 to 1950. The history of analysis and mechanics

Current research

History of mathematical impossibility theorems from Greek antiquity to the present

Teaching

History of mathematics. An introductory course on the Bachelor education in mathematics and a more specialiced course for Master students in mathematics.

Course on discrete mathematics and introduction to mathematical method, in particular proofs to all first year mathematics students

Short presentation

Personal dates

Born October 8. 1951 in Svendborg Denmark

Degrees

Summer 1970: Studentereksamen (matematisk-fysisk linie) from Svendborg Statsskole.

Summer 1976: Naturvidenskabelig Embedseksamen (Master of science) from AarhusUniversity,

Denmark. Main subject: mathematics, Second Subject: physics

April 1980: Licentiat (Ph.D.) in History of Science from AarhusUniversity

August 1990 Doctor Scientiarum (big doctorate degree ~ Habilitation) from CopenhagenUniversity

Appointments

Fall 1976: Adjunktvikar (assistant) at the Mathematics Department, AarhusUniversity

January 1977-june 1979: Ph.D. student at the Institute forHistory of Science, AarhusUniversity

Fall 1979: Teacher training position at Nyborg Gymnasium (high school)

Feb1, 1980-June 15. 1980: Adjunktvikar (assistant) at the Institute for History of Science, Aarhus

University

June 15. 1980-Aug 1. 1980: Visiting Fellow at the History of Science, YaleUniversity,

U.S.A., financed by a NATO scholarship

August 1. 1980-Jan. 1. 1982: Adjunktvikar, and after November 1. 1980 lektorvikar (temporary

associate professor) at the Mathematics Department, OdenseUniversity

February 1 1982: Seniorstipendiat (post. doc) At the Mathematics Department, OdenseUniversity

September 1. 1985-May 31 1989: Lektor (associate professor) at the Mathematics Department,

CopenhagenUniversity

June 1. 1989- December 31. 2004:Docent (between associate and full professor) at the Mathematics

                      Department, CopenhagenUniversity

January 1. 2005- : Full Professor at the Mathematics Department, CopenhagenUniversity

Extended Visits Abroad

Fall 1978: Visiting Fellow at the Mathematics Department, Utrecht University, Netherlands

Spring 1979: Graduate Fellow at History of Science, Yale University, U.S.A.

Summer 1980: Visiting Fellow at History of Science, YaleUniversity, U.S.A

1981-1987: Many stays of several months in Paris, France. (13 months total)

September 15-Dec 31. 1990 and March 1.-July 31. 1991: Visiting Professor at the Institute for

The History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, University of Toronto, Canada

January 1. - February 28. 1991: Mittag Leffler Institute, Djursholm Sweeden

February 1. - August 1. 1992: Department of Mathematics, University of California,Santa Barbara

January 9. - August 1. 1994: Resident fellow at the Dibner Institute, MIT, U.S.A.

January 1. - July 31. 1998: Resident Fellow at the Dibner Institute, MIT, U.S.A.

June 25. 2001-July14. 2002: Visiting Professor at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) USA

July 15. 2006-July 15. 2007: Visiting Professor at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) USA

May 1. –  July 31. 2011: Visiting Professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil

Prizes

February 10. 1982: Fyns Stiftstidende’s Research Prize.

June 19. 1988: Børge Jessens Diplom (for well presented lectures)

September 1. 2000: Formidlingspris (prize for good popularisation of science) of the Natural

Science Faculty, University of Copenhagen.

September 5. 2003. Undervisningspris (teaching prize) of the Natural Science Faculty, University of

Copenhagen.

Membership of Academies and Scientific Societies

Fall 1988: Corresponding member of the InternationalAcademy of the History of Science

September 1993: Full member of the InternationalAcademy of the History of Science

March 28 1996: Member of the Science Class of The RoyalDanishAcademy of Sciences and

Letters

Member of The Danish Mathematical Society, The American Mathematical Society, The History of

Science Society (USA), The Danish Society for the History of Science

Editorial work

  On the editorial board of Archive for the History of Exact Sciences, Historia mathematica, and the book series Sources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences (Springer) and Arkimedes. New Studies in the History of Science and Technology. (Kluwer).

Other Scientific Tasks

2007-2012: Secretary of the (Danish) Society for the History of Science

From 2012: President of the (Danish) Society for the History of Science

From 2009? Head of the Danish National Committee for the History and Philosophy of Science

2011-15:  Representative for The International Mathematical Union (IMU) in the International Commission on the History of Mathematics (ICHM)

2011-16 Vice chair for education at the Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Copenhagen  

Fields of interest

History of mathematics. History of science

Knowledge of languages

Danish, English, German, French