J. Ernest Wilkins, Jr.

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Jesse Ernest Wilkins Jr. (born November 27, 1923 in Chicago, Illinois) is an African American mathematician who gained notoriety for entering the University of Chicago at age 13 in 1936. He completed a B.S. in mathematics in 1940 at 17. Then he went on to complete a Ph.D in mathematics at the University of Chicago just two years later in 1942, at age 19. Throughout the years of his work, Wilkins pulished more than 100 papers on a variety of subjects, including differential geometry, linear differential equations, integrals, nuclear engineering,and optics. Wilkins currently lives n Atlanta Georgia working as a Distinguished Professor of Applied Mathematics and mathematical Phsyics at Clark Atlanta. His Doctorate Dissertation ws the Multiple Integral Problems in Parametric Form in the Calculus of Variations. Hegraduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1940. At 19, he was Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Study and taught mathematics at Tuskeegee in 1943 to 1944. In 1944 to 1946, he worke as a Physicist in the University of Chicago. In 1960-70, e worked at the General Atomic Company in San Diego, CA, rising from Assistant Cairman of Theoretical Physics to Assistant Director of Defense science and Engineering to Director of Computational Research. In 1984-1985 he asan Argonne Fellow at the Argonne National Laboratory and he was in retirement from 1985 to 1990. He published 81 papers and produced an additional 2 unpulished reports for the Atomic energy Commission. J. Ernest Wilins, Jr. has been very active in professional and civic activities, including active membership in the American Mathematical Society (Council Member 1975-77), American Association for the Advancement of Science, Mathematical Association of America, Institute of Mathematical Statistics, the Optica Society of America, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, American Nuclear Society (Board of Directors 1967-77; President 1974-75), American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Association for Computing Machinery, National Association of Mathematicians, and others. For these and many other professional and civic groups, J. Ernest Wilkins, Jr. has shared his talents by donating hundred of hours to the ositive development of humanity. One of his outstandig contributions was that of playing a significant role of helping Howard University to establish a Ph.D. Progrm in mathematics, the only doctoral program in mathematics at a Historically Black College or University. Many awards and honors have been bestowed upon him for his exemplary career of service and scholarship. Perhaps the most noteworthy among these are his election to the National Academy of Engineering (1976), his being awarded the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal (U.S. Army, 1980), his election as a Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1956), his elections as a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society (1964) and his election to Phi Beta Kappa (1940), Sigma XI (1942), Pi Tau Sigma (1956), and Tau Beta Pi (1956). bi ys a_ e