Margaret Millington

Margaret Hilary Millington (March 22, 1944 – March 1973) was an English-born mathematician.[1]

She was born Margaret Hilary Ashworth in Halifax, Yorkshire, the daughter of the local assistant head postmaster, and was educated there. She continued her studies at St Mary's College, Durham[2] and went on to Oxford University, where she earned a PhD in 1968 with A. O. L. Atkin as her advisor.[3] Also, in 1968, she married Lieutenant A.H. Millington.[2] She was awarded a two-year Science Research Council Fellowship which allowed her to pursue research at any university. During her husband's two-year posting in Germany, she taught mathematics at an Army Education Centre there.[1]

She died in Germany due to a brain tumour at the age of 29.[2]

Although her career was cut short, in 1983, the London Mathematical Society organized a symposium on modular forms. During the symposium, the importance of her doctoral thesis and post-doctoral research became clear. The work that she had started during her fellowship was picked up and pursued by other mathematicians, leading to a resurgence in the field.[1]

In a tribute to Millington, Atkin said "I have no doubt that, had she lived, she would have made exciting original contributions to a field which has at last come into its own again, after nearly a quarter century in the doldrums, and where there are now at least twenty first rate people of her generation working actively."[1]

References
  1. "Margaret Hilary Ashworth Millington". School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, Scotland.
  2. "Obituary: Margaret Hilary Millington (née Ashworth)". London Mathematical Society.
  3. Margaret Millington at the Mathematics Genealogy Project


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