Allen Edward Hatcher (born October 23, 1944) is an American mathematician specializing in geometric topology.
Allen Hatcher | |
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![]() Allen Hatcher at Berkeley in 1980 | |
Born | Allen Edward Hatcher October 23, 1944 |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | Oberlin College Stanford University |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Mathematics |
Institutions | Princeton University University of California, Los Angeles Cornell University |
Thesis | A K2 Obstruction for Pseudo-Isotopies (1971) |
Doctoral advisor | Hans Samelson |
Doctoral students |
Hatcher was born in Indianapolis, Indiana.[1] After obtaining his B.A. and B.Mus. from Oberlin College in 1966,[2] he went for his graduate studies to Stanford University, where he received his Ph.D. in 1971.[1] His thesis, A K2 Obstruction for Pseudo-Isotopies, was written under the supervision of Hans Samelson.[3]
Afterwards, Hatcher went to Princeton University, where he was an NSF postdoc for a year, then a lecturer for another year, and then Assistant Professor from 1973 to 1979. He was also a member of the Institute for Advanced Study in 1975–76 and 1979–80.[1] Hatcher moved to the University of California, Los Angeles as an assistant professor in 1977. From 1983 he has been a professor at Cornell University; he is now a professor emeritus.[4]
In 1978 Hatcher was an invited speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Helsinki.[5]
In 1983 Hatcher proved the Smale conjecture, named after Stephen Smale.[6][7]