Noted mathematician Benedict Gross joins Scripps Research Board of Directors

Newswise — LA JOLLA, CA & JUPITER, FL - Oct. 9, 2018 - Benedict Gross, PhD, a professor emeritus of mathematics at Harvard University and former dean of Harvard College, has joined the Board of Directors at Scripps Research. Gross is widely recognized for his contributions to number theory and was named a MacArthur Fellow in 1986. Additionally, he is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences. 

“Dick brings extraordinary intellect and experience to the Board, both as a professor of mathematics and as dean of Harvard College,” says Peter Schultz, president and CEO of Scripps Research. “We’re very grateful that he’s agreed to lend his time and energy to our institute.”

Gross held faculty positions at Princeton University and Brown University before becoming a tenured professor at Harvard in 1985. He served as the dean of Harvard College from 2003 to 2007. Together with Don Zagier, he established the Gross-Zagier formula for the L-functions of elliptic curves, work that led to the Frank Nelson Cole Prize in Number Theory being awarded to both men in 1987. In addition to numerous academic publications, Gross has authored Arithmetic on Elliptical Curves with Complex Multiplications (2000) and co-authored The Magic of Numbers (2004), a book intended to introduce the “beauty of numbers” to non-math readers.

Gross earned his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from Harvard University, as well as a master of science degree from Oxford University. He is the George Vasmer Leverett Professor of Mathematics, Emeritus at Harvard, as well as a professor in the mathematics department at the University of California, San Diego.

About Scripps Research

Scripps Research is ranked the most influential scientific institution in the world for its impact on innovation. A nonprofit research organization, Scripps expands basic knowledge in the biosciences and uses these fundamental advancements to develop profound innovations that improve well-being. Scripps researchers lead breakthrough studies that address the world’s most pressing health concerns, accelerating the creation and delivery of medical breakthroughs to better human health across the globe. Our educational and training programs mold talented and committed students and postdocs into the next generation of leading scientists.