Abstract:
25 April 2024 marks the 175th anniversary of Felix Klein’s birth. Appointed professor at the age of 23, Klein (1849-1925) wrote to the French mathematician Gaston Darboux (1842-1917) that he hoped to found a school of geometric productivity (creativity) [“eine Schule geometrischer Produktion”] at the University of Erlangen. When Klein moved from the Polytechnic Munich to the University of Leipzig, he informed Wilhelm Fiedler (1832-1912) in Zurich (Switzerland) that he would like to take on young mathematicians, as he wanted to found a plant school [“Pflanzschule” Ďčňîěíčę đŕńňĺíčé] for post doctoral candidates [“Privatdozenten”] in Leipzig.
The lecture sheds light on Klein’s urge to gather mathematical talents around him, encourage them and lead them to their own creativity. His approach will be compared with the behaviour of important Berlin mathematicians of the time. Examples are used to show how Klein inspired young people, both men and women, to pursue a doctorate and/or habilitation (including Emmy Noether).
The role of joint research seminars for the development of talent in "pure" and "applied" mathematics in Göttingen is particularly focussed on. Klein started this in 1895 with David Hilbert (1862-1943) and later with other newly appointed researchers.
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