Introduction
The history of mathematics is not only a history of discoveries, but also of scholars whose knowledge and ideas have been passed down through generations of students. The Mathematics Genealogy Project traces these intellectual connections, revealing fascinating academic lineages that span centuries. The project’s online database focuses on doctoral advisor–student relationships, while some earlier links represent less formal mentorship or intellectual influence.
The interactive map included in this article, officially created by the Mathematical Genealogy project, allows visitors to explore my academic genealogy through both my Ph.D. and master’s advisors.
Of particular interest is my lineage through my master’s advisor, Subrata Kundu, which extends back to many distinguished figures in the history of mathematics. The map highlights some of these scholars with clickable buttons. Clicking any of these names reveals the chain of academic advisors connecting me to that scholar, allowing visitors to explore how these intellectual connections span generations.
Formalization and Analysis (this is for fun)
We all know the Strong Law of Large Numbers (SLLN) and the Weak Law of Large Numbers (WLLN). For fun, we can define analogous strong and weak laws of Lineage Number.
Definition 1 (recursive): SLLN (Strong Law of Lineage Number):
- A person at the root node of the Mathematics Genealogy Project tree is said to have SLLN.
- Any person is said to have SLLN if their Ph.D. advisor has SLLN.
Definition 2: WLLN (Weak Law of Lineage Number):
A person is said to have WLLN if their master’s advisor has SLLN.
Drag to move. Scroll or pinch to zoom. Keyboard: + / −, arrow keys, 0 to reset.