Joseph-Diez Gergonne in Montpellier: around a collection of unpublished manuscripts

Exhibition organized by the Written and Graphic Heritage Department of the BIU, heritage collection of the BU Sciences

Date:September 5to October 6,2016
Hours: Monday toFriday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Location: Hallof the Sciences Library
Contact:biu-patrimoine-busciences@umontpellier.fr

This exhibition traces the Montpellier career of this extraordinary figure, remembered as the founder of the Annales de mathématiques pures et appliquées, the first mathematics journal in the contemporary sense of the term. He left his mark on local history as he held the chair of astronomy at the Faculty of Sciences in Montpellier; he became dean from 1820 to 1830 and then rector of the academy, without giving up his university lectures.

This exhibition was organized at the request of the organizing committee of theinternationalconference"Historyand Pedagogy of Mathematics," held in Montpellier from July 18 to 22, 2016.

Christian Gerini, professor at the University of Toulon and Gergonne's official biographer, provided scientific assistance in putting together this exhibition. He will also give a lecture on the subject on Monday, July 18, at 5:30 p.m., which is open to the general public. The UM's Department of Scientific Culture and Historical Heritage is also lending the portrait of this figure (classified as a Historic Monument).

The BIU Heritage Department has also digitized the entire Gergonne collection, which will enable researchers to deepen their knowledge of Gergonne's teaching methods. A summary of the exhibition was published in the conference proceedings.

Photo credits: University of Montpellier / SCDI Montpellier – photography department