Emmy Noether

David Floyd

Amalie “Emmy” Noether is one of the pillars of modern physics and abstract algebra. She was a German mathematician in the early twentieth century and was plagued by the social norms of that time. She was forced to struggle through societal discrimination to be a student and eventually a professor of mathematics. Her passion for mathematics pushed her over the obstacles. She derived Noether’s Theorem which, according to John Baez, lets physicists get conserved quantities from symmetries of the laws of nature. Noether’s Theorem provided a foundation for the modern theory of gravity, General Relativity. This paper discusses how Emmy Noether’s passion drove her to become a foundation for classical mechanics.

• David Floyd is a sophomore at Lander University studying mathematics and is working towards a minor in computer information science. He is currently in the Lander University Honors College. After his time at Lander, David intends to pursue a master’s degree and doctorate in mathematics and continue his career with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.