Salah Baouendi Obituary

1937 - 2011
M. Salah Baouendi (1937-2011)

M. Salah Baouendi, a Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) died on December 24, 2011, at his home in La Jolla, CA. He was 74.

The author of more than 100 articles and books, Dr. Baouendi was internationally known for his groundbreaking research in mathematical analysis. His contributions include fundamental discoveries in the field of partial differential equations and pioneering research in higher dimensional complex spaces. He received a number of prizes and honors for this work, including the Stefan Bergman Award and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. A popular teacher at all levels from freshman calculus to advanced graduate courses, he supervised doctoral students throughout his career and also served as a mentor to many other young mathematicians.

Beyond his own research and teaching, Dr. Baouendi's commitment to the national and international mathematical community was extraordinary. He served on several major committees of the American Mathematical Society, including the Board of Trustees, and chaired many other important committees. For many years he was active as the U.S. representative to the International Mathematical Union, and he chaired the U.S. National Committee for Mathematics. He served on the editorial boards of numerous leading research journals in mathematics and was the founding co-editor-in-chief of two major mathematics journals, Communications in Partial Differential Equations and Mathematical Research Letters.

Dr. Baouendi also held many leadership positions as a faculty member at UCSD. Among other responsibilities, he served as chair of the Committee on Academic Personnel and as a member of Council of the Academic Senate, and was active on major recruitment and search committees.

Born in Tunis, Tunisia, on October 12, 1937, Dr. Baouendi moved to France to complete his high school studies and then earned bachelor's and doctoral degrees in mathematics from the Sorbonne in Paris. He held positions as professor of mathematics at the Universities of Nice, Tunis, and Paris before immigrating to the United States. In 1972 he joined the faculty of Purdue University, where he served for several years as Head of the Department of Mathematics. He also held visiting professorships at the University of Chicago and Rutgers University. In 1988 he accepted a professorship in the UCSD Mathematics Department, where he taught and conducted research until his death.

Dr. Baouendi is survived by his wife and professional collaborator, Linda Rothschild, also a professor of mathematics at UCSD; a son and daughter from a previous marriage, Moungi Bawendi of Cambridge, MA, and Meriem Bawendi-Kato of Trabuco Canyon, CA; his son-in-law Tadahiko Kato; and three grandchildren. In addition, he leaves two stepsons, David and Daniel Rothschild. In his home country of Tunisia, survivors include his brother and sister-in-law, Houcine and Annie Baouendi, as well as other members of his extended family. A memorial event honoring Dr. Baouendi will be held in La Jolla on March 25.

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Published by New York Times from Jan. 18 to Jan. 19, 2012.

Memories and Condolences
for Salah Baouendi

8 Entries

Melissa Lutz Blouin

March 20, 2012

Dear Meriem and Moungi, I was sorry to learn of your father's passing. I know you must miss him. I remember him kindly from the times I met him when we were in college.

Elliott Lieb

February 8, 2012

Salah was not only a superb mathematician, he was also one of those rare people who devoted a great deal of effort and time to the mathematics community. It was a pleasure and honor to be able to work with him on AMS committees and with him and Linda on the editorial board of Math Research Letters. He was very effective in these efforts and always warm and gracious. He will be missed by the community.

Jean Nourrigat

February 3, 2012

Salah Baouendi was my professor in the graduate school of mathematics in Paris,
and I owe to him my first position in a University. I shall be grateful to him for ever.

Johannes Sjöstrand

February 3, 2012

Salah Baouendi was a very strong mathematician and a very warm and friendly person. He was always full of enthousiasm for new problems and ideas. Through discussions and some joint works in France and at Purdue University, he made me discover a new and pleasant vision of mathematics. He was - and remains - a great source of inspiration.

Houcine Baouendi

February 1, 2012

Salah Baouendi est mon grand frère,au delà des ses qualités de grand mathématiiciens que ses paires luis reconnaissent je veux parler du bon frère qu'ilétait ,il était aussi un bon père et camarade fidèle.Fidèle aussi il était à ses principes de droiture d'abnégation età son refus des honneurs qui pouvaient le détourner de ses rechèrches,de son enseignement ou qui pouvaient fausser son libre arbitre ou altérer son honnéteté éxemplaire.Patriote il l'était aussi puisqu'il n'avait pas hésiter un instant à revenir dans son pays d'origine :La TUNISIE quand le devoir l'avait appeler à enseigner à la faculté des sciences quand la France par représailles avait retirer ses professeurs au lendemain de l'indépendance du pays.c'est des ce frère dont je veux garder le souvenir.qu'il repose en Paix.

January 23, 2012

We were shocked and saddened to
hear of Salah's passing. We will always
treasure his friendship.
Alice Chang and Paul Yang

Mei-Chi Shaw Shaw

January 19, 2012

When I had my first job at Purdue, I was
young and clueless.
I have always considered myself so lucky to have a mentor like Salah, who was kind and caring. Without Salah's constant support, I would not have been able to succeed. It was indeed my privilege to have known him. He offered me not only many pratical advices over the years but more importantly, his friendship. I will miss him dearly.

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