Born: November 17, 1917 (Brooklyn, New York)
Died: August 25, 2005
Biography:
Ruth Aaronson Bari (November 17, 1917 – August 25, 2005) was an American mathematician known for her work in graph theory and algebraic homomorphisms. She was born on November 17, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York, to Polish-Jewish immigrants.
Growing up in Brooklyn, Bari exhibited a passion for mathematics from a young age. She attended Brooklyn College and earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1939. Bari’s academic pursuits took her to Johns Hopkins University, where she initially enrolled in the doctoral program. However, when the university suggested that women should give up their fellowships for men returning from World War II, Bari selflessly acceded to their request. She later earned her Master of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins in 1943.
After marrying Arthur Bari, Ruth dedicated herself to raising their three daughters for the next two decades. However, her passion for mathematics persisted. She returned to Johns Hopkins for graduate work, and at the age of 47, she completed her dissertation on absolute reducibility of maps of at most 19 regions in 1966.
Bari’s dissertation was a significant contribution to the field of graph theory and algebraic homomorphisms. She explored chromatic polynomials and the Birkhoff-Lewis conjecture, and her research concluded that the conjecture holds for all maps with fewer than 20 regions. Her advisor, Daniel Clark Lewis, Jr., guided her throughout this process.
Following the completion of her Ph.D., Bari was invited by mathematician William Tutte to spend two weeks lecturing on her work at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Bari’s contributions to graph theory, homomorphisms, and chromatic polynomials were highly regarded by her peers.
In 1976, two professors used computer work to solve the long-standing problem of Bari’s dissertation, known as the four-color conjecture. When asked by her daughter Martha if she felt cheated by the technological solution, Bari responded with gratitude, stating that she was fortunate to witness the resolution of the conjecture within her lifetime.
Throughout her teaching career, Bari actively sought to address inequalities faced by female faculty members. She participated in a class-action lawsuit against George Washington University, advocating for equal promotion and pay. Their protests were successful, leading to positive changes within the institution.
Bari’s dedication to mathematics extended beyond academia. In the early 1970s, she used a grant from the National Science Foundation to establish a master’s degree program in teaching mathematics. Bari recognized the need for better-prepared math teachers in the DC public school system and took action to improve the quality of education in her community.
Ruth Aaronson Bari retired as a professor emeritus from George Washington University in 1988, following the mandated retirement age of 70. She left behind a remarkable legacy in the field of mathematics and as a champion for equality in academia. Bari’s influence lives on through the numerous students she taught, including Carol Crawford, Steven Kahn, and Lee Lawrence.