Iris Runge: Sommerfeld's Collaborator & Relationship with Runge-Kutta

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In summary, Iris Runge was a mathematician and researcher who was the daughter of renowned mathematician Carl Runge. She studied vector analysis with Arnold Sommerfeld and also worked in research laboratories for Osram and Telefunken. Her mathematical research played a role in improving the construction of radio valves.
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arivero
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While the collaborator of Sommerfeld appears in articles as "J. Runge", Einstein speaks of Iris Runge. Who is? She seems related to Carl Runge, and at the same time both seem to have some relationship with Runge-Kutta methods.
 
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Iris Runge was Carl Runge's daughter. I don't know whether she was herself a mathematician but she did write a biography of Carl Runge (as well as one of Isaac Newton) and edit his collected works.
 
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Iris Runge (1888-1966) was one of the six children of Carl Runge (1856-1927), who eminently developped numerical analysis. He became in 1904 the first professor of applied mathematics in Germany.
One of her sisters married the mathematician Richard Courant (1888-1972).
As a student, Iris Runge was learned at Göttingen and Munich Universities. She studied vector analysis with the theoretical physicist Arnold Sommerfeld (1868-1951), and the numerical and graphical methods developped with her father.
She took a teacher examination in mathematics, physics, and geography in 1913, and in chemistry in 1920. Her chemistry doctorate was prepared under Gustav Tamman (1861-1938).
She worked in research laboratories of Osram and Telefunken from 1923 to 1945, where she was the only woman researcher in the valve laboratory. Her mathematical research contributed to improve the construction of radio valves.
 
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I love the woman already! Telefunkens are the sweetest pre-amp tubes, and are a perfect fit with my favorite guitar amps (Fenders, mostly).
 

FAQ: Iris Runge: Sommerfeld's Collaborator & Relationship with Runge-Kutta

Who is Iris Runge?

Iris Runge was a German physicist and mathematician who lived from 1888 to 1966. She is best known for her contributions to numerical mathematics, particularly her work on the Runge-Kutta method.

What is the Runge-Kutta method?

The Runge-Kutta method is a numerical algorithm used for solving ordinary differential equations. It was developed independently by German mathematicians Carl Runge and Martin Wilhelm Kutta in the early 1900s, and later refined by Iris Runge.

What was Iris Runge's relationship with Arnold Sommerfeld?

Iris Runge and Arnold Sommerfeld were colleagues and collaborators at the University of Munich. Sommerfeld, a renowned physicist, recognized Runge's mathematical abilities and encouraged her to contribute to his research on theoretical physics.

What was the significance of Iris Runge's work on the Runge-Kutta method?

Runge's contributions to the Runge-Kutta method allowed it to be applied to a wider range of differential equations. Her work also helped to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the method, making it a widely used tool in computational science.

Why is Iris Runge not as well-known as other scientists of her time?

Unfortunately, due to the gender norms and discrimination of her time, Iris Runge's contributions to mathematics and physics were often overlooked or attributed to her male colleagues. It is only in recent years that her work has been recognized and celebrated.

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