View source for Biography:Paul Olum

{{Short description|American mathematician (1918–2001)}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name              =Paul Olum 
| image             =Olum-paul.gif
| image_size        =200px 
| alt               = 
| caption           =Paul Olum, date unknown 
| birth_date        ={{Birth date|1918|08|16|mf=y}}
| birth_place       =Binghamton, New York, United States 
| death_date        ={{Death date and age|2001|01|19|1918|08|16|mf=y}}
| death_place       =Sharon, Massachusetts, U.S. 
| resting_place             = 
| resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} -->
| residence         = 
| citizenship       =American 
| nationality       =American 
| fields            =[[Mathematics]] 
| workplaces        =[[Organization:Cornell University|Cornell University]]<br>University of Texas<br>[[Organization:University of Oregon|University of Oregon]] 
| alma_mater        =[[Organization:Harvard University|Harvard University]]<br>[[Organization:Princeton University|Princeton University]] 
| thesis_title      = 
| thesis_url        = 
| thesis_year       = 
| doctoral_advisor  =[[Biography:Hassler Whitney|Hassler Whitney]] 
| academic_advisors = 
| doctoral_students =
| notable_students  =
| influences        = 
| influenced        = 
| awards            = 
| spouse            = 
}}
'''Paul Olum''' (August 16, 1918 – January 19, 2001) was an American mathematician ([[Algebraic topology|algebraic topology]]), professor of mathematics, and university administrator.

==Early years==
Born in Binghamton, New York to a father who was a Russian Jew who immigrated at age of nine to escape persecution, Olum took an interest in mathematics at an early age. He graduated summa cum laude from [[Organization:Harvard University|Harvard University]] in 1940. In 1942 he married Vivian Goldstein, completed an MA in physics at [[Organization:Princeton University|Princeton University]], and joined the scientific staff of the [[Physics:Manhattan Project|Manhattan Project]]. During his time at Los Alamos, Olum was among the Los Alamos scientists who questioned the implications of the atomic bomb, and after its use against Japan, he became a lifelong advocate for world peace and for nuclear arms control.<ref>For example, in {{cite news | first1 = Paul | last1 = Olum | title = Why Did We Work to Build Such a Terrible Thing? | journal = The Oregonian | date = 4 August 1985}}</ref><ref>At a reunion of Los Alamos scientists, Olum circulated a nuclear arms control statement and collected 70 scientist's signatures. ({{cite journal | first1 = J.H. | last1 = Manley | title = In The Matter of the H-Bomb | journal = [[Physics:Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists|Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists]] | date = January 1984}})</ref>

Reportedly, one reason he switched from physics to mathematics as his field was that compared to his office mate, future Nobel laureate [[Biography:Richard Feynman|Richard Feynman]], Olum did not think he was good at physics.<ref name="cornellobit"/> He returned to Harvard after the war to complete his Ph.D. in mathematics in 1947 under [[Biography:Hassler Whitney|Hassler Whitney]] as his thesis advisor.
Among his close friends was Feynman, who wrote in his autobiography of Paul's intelligence. In one anecdote, Feynman told of an experience at Los Alamos when he had claimed to be able to take any problem that could be stated in ten seconds and find an answer to within ten percent in no more than sixty seconds. When Feynman made this challenge to Olum, he quickly responded, “Find the tangent of 10 to the 100th.”<ref>{{Cite book|last= Feynman |first= Richard |title= Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman |url= https://archive.org/details/surelyyourejokin0000feyn |url-access= registration |year= 1985 |publisher= W.W. Norton |location= New York |isbn= 0-393-01921-7 }} p. 195</ref>

==Cornell==
Following a postdoctoral year at the Institute for Advanced Study, Olum joined the [[Organization:Cornell University|Cornell University]] faculty in 1949. Over the next 25 years at Cornell, Olum rose to the rank of professor, served in various administrative roles, and spent time as a visiting faculty member at the [[Organization:University of Paris|University of Paris]], Hebrew University, [[Organization:Stanford University|Stanford University]], and the [[Organization:University of Washington|University of Washington]], and also returned as a member of the Institute for Advanced Study.

As a mathematician, Olum was widely respected for his research in [[Algebraic topology|algebraic topology]]. He made significant contributions in the area of [[Obstruction theory|obstruction theory]]. His Ph.D. students include Martin Arkowitz, Robert Lewis,  Jean-Pierre Meyer, and Norman Stein.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://genealogy.math.ndsu.nodak.edu/id.php?id=42981|title=Mathematics Genealogy Project|accessdate=2010-04-28}}</ref>

In 1962 Olum initiated the Cornell Topology Festival, an annual regional mathematics conference.<ref name=cornellobit/><ref>[http://www.math.cornell.edu/~festival/ Cornell Topology Festival]</ref> From 1963 to 1966, Olum served as Mathematics Department chair, and recruited a number of talented faculty.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.math.cornell.edu/~anil/laterlife.html |author=Anil Nerode |title=Autobiography: My Life at Cornell|publisher=Cornell University|accessdate=2010-04-28}}</ref>

Olum advocated the abolition of the House Committee on Unamerican Activities,<ref>''Cornell Daily Sun'', March 3, 1961 p. 5</ref> was an early critic of the Vietnam War,<ref>''Cornell Daily Sun'', May 24, 1966 p. 6; Cornell Daily Sun,
September 20, 1967 p. 17</ref> and sought to remove the Reserve Officer Training Corps from the Cornell campus.  Olum assisted in the establishment of Cornell's Women's Studies Program in 1972.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pub.das.state.or.us/LEG_BILLS/PDFs_2001/AEHCR8.pdf#search=%22%20%22Paul%20%20Olum%22%20-atrium%22|title=House Concurrent Resolution 8|publisher=Oregon State Assembly|accessdate=2010-04-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030519100756/http://pub.das.state.or.us/LEG_BILLS/PDFs_2001/AEHCR8.pdf#search=%22%20%22Paul%20%20Olum%22%20-atrium%22|archive-date=2003-05-19|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.arts.cornell.edu/fgss/academics/index.html|title=Academics: About the Program|publisher=Cornell University|accessdate=2010-04-28}}</ref> Following the Willard Straight Hall Takeover in 1969, Olum chaired a committee to propose a major overhaul of Cornell's governance, including its Board of Trustees.  Olum's relationship with his fellow Los Alamos physicist Dale Corson, who had just become Cornell's President, assisted in this difficult task.  Olum led the group which convinced the Trustees to adopt the plan, included a student-faculty-employee University Senate and the addition of Trustees elected by students and by that Senate.  In 1972, Olum was the first Faculty Trustee elected by Cornell students &mdash; the only such position in the nation at that time.

==University of Texas==
Olum served as Dean of the University of Texas at Austin College of Natural Sciences from 1974 through 1976.  Those were turbulent years, as President Stephen Spurr, who had hired Olum, was removed by the Board of Regents in fall 1974, and replaced by Lorene Rogers. All administrators were placed in a difficult role while students protested Rogers' appointment<ref>Sterba, James P. [https://www.nytimes.com/1975/09/28/archives/campus-protests-u-of-texas-head-new-president-is-opposed-by-faculty.html "CAMPUS PROTESTS U. OF TEXAS HEAD; New President Is Opposed by Faculty and Students"], ''{{wipe|The New York Times}}'', September 28, 1975. Accessed 2010-04-28.</ref> and the faculty conducted a boycott of any faculty meetings chaired by Rogers.

==University of Oregon==
In 1976 Olum was named provost at the [[Organization:University of Oregon|University of Oregon]]. Despite an economic recession and budget cuts, Olum worked to improve Oregon's academic standing, serving as President from 1980 to 1989. While Olum was President, Oregon started 20 new research institutes and academic programs,<ref name=uo/> built a new $34.6 million science complex—“the most significant construction program in the university’s history”<ref name=tex>{{Cite web|url=http://www.utexas.edu/faculty/council/2002-2003/memorials/Olum/olum.htm|title = Faculty Council &#124; the University of Texas at Austin}}</ref>—and helped develop the University's Riverfront Research Park.<ref name=tex/> He also oversaw construction of a $27 million remodeling of Oregon's library.<ref name=uo/>  While President, Olum also supported the fight against apartheid in South Africa and advocated nuclear disarmament.<ref name=uo>[http://president.uoregon.edu/history/ History: Office of the President &ndash; University of Oregon] Retrieved 2010-04-28.</ref>

In 1987, the Executive Committee of State Board of Education required Olum to retire by June 30, 1989.  Despite extensive faculty<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.uoregon.edu/~assembly/Assembly1987-1988ALL.html#RESOLUTIONONOLUMRETIREMENT|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20120616114250/http://pages.uoregon.edu/assembly/Assembly1987-1988ALL.html#RESOLUTIONONOLUMRETIREMENT|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-06-16|title=MINUTES OF THE UNIVERSITY ASSEMBLY FOR NOVEMBER 4, 1987|publisher=University of Oregon|accessdate=2010-04-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.uoregon.edu/~assembly/Assembly1987-1988ALL.html#REsolutionnoconfidence|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20120616114250/http://pages.uoregon.edu/assembly/Assembly1987-1988ALL.html#REsolutionnoconfidence|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-06-16|title=MINUTES OF THE UNIVERSITY ASSEMBLY FOR DECEMBER 2, 1987|publisher=University of Oregon|accessdate=2010-04-28}}</ref> and student protest, this decision stood, and Olum left office with Oregon a much stronger institution.  The University named the Paul Olum Atrium and a mathematics research professorship in his honor. The University's child development center is named in honor of his wife, Vivian.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://olum.uoregon.edu/ |title=Vivian Olum Child Development Center|accessdate=2010-02-10}}</ref>

In 1990, following his retirement from the University of Oregon, Olum moved to Athens, Greece, and lived with Margarita Papandreou. In 1996, he lived in Sharon, Massachusetts with his son, Ken Olum.<ref name=cornellobit>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2001/01/mathematician-paul-olum-who-became-president-university-oregon-dies-82|title=Leading Cornell mathematician Paul Olum, who became president of the University of Oregon, dies at 82|publisher=Cornell Chronicle|first=David|last=Brand|date=January 26, 2001|accessdate=November 6, 2013}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.utexas.edu/faculty/council/2002-2003/memorials/Olum/olum.html University of Texas Memorial Resolution]
*[http://president.uoregon.edu/history/ University of Oregon Presidential History]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20030519100756/http://pub.das.state.or.us/LEG_BILLS/PDFs_2001/AEHCR8.pdf#search=%22%20%22Paul%20%20Olum%22%20-atrium%22 Oregon State Legislature Memorial Resolution]
*[http://genealogy.math.ndsu.nodak.edu/id.php?id=42981 Paul Olum] at the [[Mathematics Genealogy Project]].

{{s-start}}
{{s-aca}}
{{succession box
|  before=William Beaty Boyd
|  title=President of the University of Oregon
|  after=Myles Brand
|  years=1980 - 1989
}}
{{s-end}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Olum, Paul}}
[[Category:Manhattan Project people]]
[[Category:Topologists]]

{{Sourceattribution|Paul Olum}}