J. Ernest Wilkins Jr. was a prominent American mathematician who made significant contributions to various fields. He was born in Chicago in 1923 and obtained his PhD from the University of Chicago in 1942. Throughout his career, Wilkins published numerous papers on diverse mathematical topics and taught at several universities. He held many leadership roles, including president of the American Nuclear Society from 1974-1975. Wilkins was honored with several awards for his scientific achievements and service before passing away in Arizona in 2011.

1. J. ERNEST WILKINS, JR.
NADEJA KING
2/20/15
4TH PD.

2. BACKGROUND
 Born: November 27, 1923
 Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
 Death: May 1, 2011
 Death place: Fountain Hills, Arizona, USA
 Parent: Lucille Robinson Wilkins and Jesse Ernest Wilkins, Sr.


3. MATHEMATICAL CONTRIBUTIONS
 Produced a remarkable number of mathematical papers on a wide variety of different topics.
 In 1944 four of his papers appeared: On the growth of solutions of linear differential equations; Definitely self-
conjugate adjoint integral equations; Multiple integral problems in parametric form in the calculus of variations;
and A note on skewness and kurtosis. The last of these is on statistics.
 In the following year he published The differential difference equation for epidemics in the Bulletin of
Mathematical Biophysics.


4. EDUCATION
 PhD Institution: University of Chicago, 1942
 MA Institution: University of Chicago, 1941
 AB Institution: University of Chicago, 1940

5. AWARDS/TRIBUTES
 University of Chicago Alumni Association, Professional Achievement Citation, 1997.
 QEM Network, Giant in Science Award, 1994
 U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, 1980
 Wilkins was honored by his alma mater, the University of Chicago, a special ceremony included the dedication of
his portrait and a plaque in the Eckhart Hall Tea Room of its Physical Sciences Division

6. MEMBERSHIPS
 Kappa Alpha Psi
 American Society of Mechanical Engineers
 American Nuclear Society Board of Directors, 1967–77, President, 1974–75;
 National Research Council of the United States Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, Chairman, 1990–94;
 Oak Ridge Associated Universities council, 1990;
 U.S. Army Science Board, chairman, 1970-2001.

7. CAREERS
 Wilkins taught mathematics from 1943 to 1944 at the (now Tuskegee University) in Alabama.
 In 1944 he served first as an associate mathematical physicist and then as a physicist in its Metallurgical Laboratory, as
part of the Manhattan Project.
 In 1970 Wilkins went on to serve Howard University as professor of Applied Mathematical Physics
 From 1974 to 1975 Wilkins served as president of the American Nuclear Society
 From 1990 Wilkins lived and worked in Atlanta as a Professor of Applied Mathematics and Mathematics Physics at Clark
Atlanta University, and retired in 2003.

8. • MISCELLANEOUS FACTS
 Known as "negro genius"
 Enter college at the age of 13
 Joined Kappa Alpha Psi at young age