The early history of the Cornell Mathematics Department: A case study in the emergence of the American mathematical research community (Q1273191)

This well-documented study reports in its first part the foundation of Cornell University (Ithaca, New York) by telephone magnat Ezra Cornell (1807-1874) and historian Andrew Dickson White (1832-1918) in 1868. In its main part the paper examines the ensuing development of mathematics at Cornell from predominant undergraduate education up to German-inspired research level mathematics since around 1900. The decisive men in the math department were James Edward Oliver (1827-1895) and Virgil Snyder (1869-1950). Still, the typical problems of early American mathematics -- over-burdening with teaching and a lack of zeal for research or at least for the publication of the results -- prevented Cornell from stepping into a leadership role in the American mathematical research community after the relative decline of the first leader-department at Johns Hopkins (Baltimore), which had resulted from J. Sylvester's departure in 1883. Cornell had, however, a pioneering role in the education of women since the 1890s.