Department Of Mathematics
NICHOLAS C. PETRIDIS VITA
Emeritus Professor (1995)
I. Education
1. B.A. University of Athens, 1954(with honors).
2. Graduate Studies at the University of Chicago (National Scholarships Foundation, IKY and U. C. Fellowship). Advisor S.S. Chern who, in 1985, was proclaimed "the world's gratest living Geometer" (California monthly, June 1985), 1957 M.S., 1961 Ph. D.
II. Research: A selection of Publications
1. Sur les Transformations Interieures et les Courbes Pseudomeromorphes, C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 18/8/5, t 21, Pres par Paul Montel. Geometric approach to a very complex theory in Analysis (Meromorphic Mappings) initiated by masters like H. Weyl and L. Ahlfors. However, a responsible opinion could be based on the review by Ahlfors himself: "...the paper contains a generalization of the First main theorem in the theory of meromorphic curves" (Math. Rev. 19, p. 1000) writes S.I. Goldberg in 1975.
2. Differentiable Solutions of Algebraic Equations of Manifolds (w. S.I. Goldberg) KODAI Math. Reports, 1973, v. 25, Tokyo Inst. of Techn., This paper is about f-structures, which generalize the complex structures of classical Analysis and was submitted by the distinguised Japanese mathematician K. Yano who initiated the theory of f-structures.
3. The Curvature Groups of Pseudo-Riemannian Manifold, Jour. of Dif. Geometry, 1974, v 9, No , "I believe that this paper will contribute in answering the long standing conjecture of Willmore, viz., that a compact Ricci flat manifold is flat" writes S.I. Golberg in 1975.
4. Mappings of Bounded Dilatation of Riemannian Manifold (w. S.I. Goldberg and T. Ishihara), Jour. of Dif. Geometry, 1975, v. 10, No 4, it extends, among other thins, basic theorems of analysis like the Schwarz-Ahlfors lemma, Liouville's theorem and Picard' s first theorem to a larger family of real mappings. They also generalise results obtained by S.S. Chern. "The notion of "Mapings of Bounded Dilatation", which is new in the literature and generilises the concept of analytic and quasiconformal mappings, was first introduced by Dr. Petridis and i believe it will attract the attention of many researchers", writes S.I. Goldberg in 1975.
5. A generalization of the First Theorem of Picard, Proc. AMS, 1, 1976.
6. Un theoreme General du type Picard, C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris 285, 1977, Pres par M. Jean Leray. The prominent French mathematician Jean Leray, member of the French Academy and professor at the College de France writes: "This work attests ta a knowledge varied, extensive and solid and proves true mathematical talent and great clarity of thought..."
7. Distance and Volume Decreasing Theorems for a family of Harmonic Mappings of Riemannian Manifolds, Lectures Notes in Math., Springer-Verlang, 1980.
8. Distance and Volume Decreasing Theorems for Quasiconformal Mappings, Proc. AMS, 1981, V. 8, No1.
9. On Quasiconformal Mappings of Hermitian Manifolds to be published in the Novosibirsk Research Center volume in honor of the distinguished Geometer-Analyst Yu. G. Rechetnyak. This paper, among other things, extends results of S.T. Yau, concerning holomorphic mappings, to a family of Harmonic mappings of Koehler manifolds. In general, "Petridis mathematical work lies in the fields of global differential geometry and complex analysis" writes S.S. Chern in 1975.
The distinguished Rumanian mathematician, member of the Rumanian Academy, who, together with Stoilow, played a basic and definitive role in the study of quasiconformal functions, writes: "...The level of research by N. Petridis and the significance of the problems he investigates place him on the highest level of modern mathematical theory which he approaches with admirable clarity and precision".
Finally, Kentato Yano writes: "I heard of Professor Petridis from Professor Chern many times and, i am sure, Professor Chern has a very high opinion on the ability of Professor Petridis as a research mathematician".
III. Academic Experience
1. 1961-63 Ass. Prof. Illinois Institut of Technol. (I.I.T.)
2. 1964-66 Consultant for the establishment of the University of PAtras.
3. 1966 Invited by Eastern Illinois University to organize the graduate programm in Mathematics. Remain on the staff until 1985, while also an active member of the main University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
Recipient of Distinguised Teacher Award Emeritus Professor (1985).
4. 1977 Consultant of the Organizing Board of the University of Crete with a delinitive role in the Organization (programs and Staff) of the Department of Mathematics.
First Professor at the University of Crete
1995 Emeritus Professor.
5. Visiting Professor, among other Universities, at the university of Xian (Ancient capital of China) in 1986.
IV. Non Academic Activities
1. Recipient of Certificate (Dept. of Defense) and medal for resistance activities during the German occupation. Member of FIR (Federation International de Resistance).
2. 1965 Initiating member of the Papanastasiou Committee (Promotion of Democratic Ideals).
3. 1967. Initiating member of the "Inter-American Federation for Democracy in Greece" in USA, with intense antidictatorical activity, for which he was deprived of the Greek passport until 1974.