May Beenken
American mathematician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
May Margaret Beenken (22 October 1901, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – 21 December 1988, St. Vincent Medical Center (Los Angeles)) was an American mathematician.[1]
May Margaret Beenken | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 22, 1901 |
| Died | December 21, 1988 (aged 87) |
| Occupation | Mathematician |
| Years active | 1928–1969 |
Life
Beenken was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her parents were Sophie Kirn (1862 – 1941) and Henry Beenken (b. 1852). and she had at least three older siblings.[1]
Career
Beenken completed her PhD at the University of Chicago in 1928. Her doctoral advisor was Ernest Preston Lane and her thesis was titled Surfaces in Five-Dimensional Space.[2] She later became an instructor at Oshkosh Teacher's College.[1] She also served as a lecturer at the University of California, Los Angeles in 1945, as well as an associate professor (later professor) at Immaculate Heart College from 1947 to 1969.[1]
Personal life
After retiring, "she decided to turn to painting" and "applied herself here with the same single-mindedness as in teaching", according to a former colleague and student of hers.[1]
