◀ ▲ ▶History / 19th-century / Person: Shatunovsky, Samuil Osipovich
Person: Shatunovsky, Samuil Osipovich
Samuil Osipovich Shatunovsky was a Ukranian-born mathematician who worked in mathematical analysis and algebra.
Mathematical Profile (Excerpt):
- Shatunovsky wanted a university education, but the rules did not permit him to follow that route so he went to St Petersburg where he enrolled at the Institute of Technology, and then at the Institute of Communications.
- Shatunovsky gave up the courses he was taking at the technical institutes and attended lectures from all of these men at the University, enthusiastically participating in Chebyshev's school of mathematics.
- However, given that he would never be in a position to obtain a degree, Shatunovsky decided to try to obtain a university education in Switzerland and travelled to that country.
- After the remarkable research environment in Chebyshev's school of mathematics at St Petersburg, Shatunovsky found the mathematical environment in Switzerland to be rather disappointing.
- Returning to the Ukraine, Shatunovsky earned a living by giving private mathematics lessons in various towns.
- The quality of the work was seen immediately by the mathematicians at Odessa and Shatunovsky was invited to go there to begin studying.
- Despite producing outstanding work at Odessa, Shatunovsky still could not officially obtain a Master's degree (equivalent of a Ph.D.) since, not having the necessary qualifications, he had not been able to obtain a matriculation certificate.
- The Ministry of Education at this time applied the rules very strictly, but Shatunovsky's mathematical talents were so outstanding that the Education Minister made a rare exception and allowed Shatunovsky to graduate.
- Shatunovsky's research was on several topics from analysis and algebra.
- Never sacrificing rigour, Samuil Osipovich was able to make his lectures containing challenging and profound ideas available to students.
- Shatunovsky died in 1929 from the painful disease of cancer of the oesophagus.
- And in life, as in mathematics, Shatunovsky was a brilliant thinker, sometimes paradoxical, but always using invincible logic.
- In mathematics, as in any other spheres of thought, Shatunovsky was striking in his originality, poignancy and unshakable logic.
Born 25 March 1859, Velyka Znamianka, Tavricheskaya gubernia, Ukraine. Died 27 March 1929, Odessa, USSR.
View full biography at MacTutor
Tags relevant for this person:
Origin Ukraine
Thank you to the contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0! 
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- non-Github:
- @J-J-O'Connor
- @E-F-Robertson
References
Adapted from other CC BY-SA 4.0 Sources:
- O’Connor, John J; Robertson, Edmund F: MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
