Pablo Miquel Merino ( Havana , September 20, 1887 – Havana , April 3 , 1944 ). Cuban mathematician. Eminent professor of Mathematical Analysis at the University of Havana between 1913 and 1944, author of excellent textbooks on the discipline. On May 20, 1913 he began the chair of Mathematical Analysis, the same one that he dictated until his death.
Summary
[ hide ]
- 1 Biographical summary
- 1 Studies
- 2 Work history
- 3 Death
- 2 works
- 3 Active bibliography
- 4 Passive bibliography
- 5 sources
biographical synthesis
Studies
He attended the first and second education at the Colegio de Belén (in Havana). In 1903, at the age of 15, upon graduating from high school he went to Spain, where he studied the first year (1903-1904) of Science at the University of Deusto , near Bilbao , in preparation for further studies in Engineering . civilian . He examined subjects at the University of Salamanca and the Central University of Madrid , with outstanding grades and with an extraordinary prize.
Returning to Cuba, at the age of 17, he continued his studies at the University of Havana , where he successively graduated, with a brilliant academic record, from doctor of Physical-Mathematical Sciences (1908), architect (1910) and civil engineer ( 1912).
work history
In 1908, Miquel won the post of assistant professor of the Astronomy cabinet of the University of Havana, and then that of assistant professor of the chair of Astronomy (1912). In May 1913 he began teaching Mathematical Analysis , replacing the full professor, the military and civil engineer José R. Villalón (1864-1938), who had been granted leave to hold the position of Secretary of Public Works. .
On September 1, 1921 he was appointed full professor of the chair of Mathematical Analysis at the University of Havana, upon winning the corresponding competition-opposition, convened for this purpose on the occasion of Villalón ‘s resignation from office. Professor Miquel maintained the teaching of Mathematical Analysis at a high level during the more than 30 years he was in charge of teaching this discipline at the University of Havana, which, in turn, exerted a healthy influence on teaching. of mathematics at the secondary level.
Death
He died in the city of Havana, on April 3, 1944 , at the age of 57.
However, the harsh realities of Cuba at that time meant that he had to dedicate much of his time to earning daily bread for his numerous offspring, to such an extent that, according to Professor Manuel Gran :
He died in the best of his life, exhausted in necessities located at a much lower level than those that corresponded to his robust intellectual condition, having failed and left a researcher truncated.
Manuel F. Gran
In 1979, the Cuban Mathematical Society instituted the Pablo Miquel Prize to reward Cuban mathematicians who have accomplished outstanding work in their specialty.
Plays
In 1914 he published his Elements of Higher Algebra , which he had rapidly composed with a view to enriching his academic record. A greatly expanded version of this work was published in 1939, which was used for many years as a university text. His best texts, however, are a volume on differential calculus (1941) and another on integral calculus .(1942), which were also used profitably for many years, as evidenced by the multiple reprints made after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution (1959). All these works are characterized by offering a very complete and rigorous treatment of the respective subjects, as well as by their clarity and high pedagogical quality, where not the least important is the large number of original exercises proposed, very useful for student training. .
Generally considered by his colleagues as the quintessential representative of the then small community of Cuban professionals dedicated to the physical-mathematical sciences, for his evident ability, his extraordinary willingness to serve, hard work and natural kindness and simplicity, not least for his honesty and modesty, he was elected president of the Cuban Society of Physical and Mathematical Sciences when it was founded in 1942.
