Mark Iosifovich Vishik and His Work:
Award Ceremony of the Honorary Doctorate
at the Free University of Berlin
Bernold Fiedler (ed.)
Institut für Mathematik I, Freie Universität Berlin
Arnimallee 2-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Opening
Bernold Fiedler
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The award ceremony for
Mark Vishik was performed by Ralph-Hardo Schulz, the Dean of
mathematics at the Free University of Berlin
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Mr. Vice President,
dear guests from around the world,
dear colleagues,
ladies and gentlemen,
Let me welcome you all to this celebration at 'Haus am Waldsee'.
Today we have come together to face a quite formidable task: to
celebrate the outstanding scientific achievements and the truly
exceptional personality of our dear friend Markus Iosifovich
Vishik. The Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the Free
University of Berlin will award him a doctorate honoris causa but, in
fact, we are quite aware that it is much more our University, than
him, who is receiving an honor here. The standards of both his
scientific achievements and his humane culture have long ago reached a
height which cannot possibly be further enhanced by any 'prizes' or
'honors', be they academic or otherwise. Even in the scientific
context alone, our four day international conference in honor of his
work could only provide a cursory glimpse of what he has achieved in
mathematics.
In addition to - and perhaps beyond - mathematics, music has always
been a source of contemplation and continuing inspiration in Mark's
life. During his many visits at Berlin in recent years, I have heard
him confess many times: 'I cannot live without music'. He deeply loves
'German' music and 'German' composers like Brahms, Schubert and Mozart
(more 'Austrian', in fact, if national at all). This deep affinity has
accompanied him from his youth through the dark years of Nazi horror,
and has persisted all the way to the present day.
The location 'Haus am Waldsee' of our award ceremony has been chosen
accordingly. It was here, in this park, where in August 1945 the first
concert of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra after World War II was
given under Sergiu Celibidache.
For all these reasons, I am particularly happy to introduce our
international duo Theo Flindell (violin) and Kensei Yamaguchi (piano),
young prize winning artists at numerous international music
competitions. Following the exquisite taste of Mark Vishik, they will
play for us the Allegro from the first of three Sonatinas for violin
and piano by Franz Schubert. Later we will hear the Andante tranquillo
of the Brahms Sonata for violin and piano in A Major. Our musicians
will conclude the afternoon with the Allegretto from the Sonata for
piano and violin in D Major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Our list of speakers for welcome addresses is illustrious - and
somewhat long. Almost anybody in this audience, I am sure, could
substantially and rightfully contribute to these addresses. But I am
also confident that our speakers will well represent all our views.
Let me take the liberty to read to you from a letter by the late
Professor Jacques-Louis Lions concerning Mark Vishik:
'I enthusiastically support your idea of an Honorary Doctorate of
your University awarded to Professor Mark Vishik.
The work of M. Vishik has been very influential for several generations of mathematicians in the world, in the fields of Partial Differential Equations, Nonlinear Analysis, Dynamical Systems in infinite dimensions, Pseudo Differential Operators, Statistical Solutions of Navier Stokes equations etc.
His influence in the world is very important. In France, I have learnt
many things from him; we used his work with Sobolev on non-homogeneous
problems with Professor E. Magenes. Also Professor R. Temam has been
deeply influenced by M. Vishik's work.'
I would like to now call on our Vice President of Sciences, Gerhard
Braun, a mathematician himself, to give our first welcome address.
His address will be followed by contributions by Misha Shubin,
representing in unison the Moscow mathematicians and the many, many
successful members of the Vishik School. Eberhard Zeidler will extend
his personal greetings from the University of Leipzig and the
Max-Planck Institute of Mathematics in the Sciences.
Louis Nirenberg
has kindly contributed a letter as well as a personal address for his
long-time friend. Then Konrad Gröger will give his personal greetings, also
representing Humboldt University.
Finally Roger Temam will offer us a grandmaster's
insight into the overwhelming OEvre of Mark Vishik.
The award ceremony will be performed by the Dean of our faculty,
Ralph-Hardo Schulz. And finally the afternoon will culminate in Mark
Vishik's sharing with us of his thoughts about the sources of his
work.
- Welcome adress by Gerhard Braun
- My teacher Mark Iosifovich Vishik, by Mikhail Shubin
- Personal greetings of Eberhard
Zeidler
- Letter and personal address of Louis
Nirenberg
- Personal greetings of Konrad
Gröger
- Mark Vishik and his work, by Roger
Temam
- The sources of my work, by Mark
Vishik
- Closing remarks
- Appendix