Boole biographer receives award for maths dedication

The man who has helped to reveal the life story of the Irish-based mathematician whose work underpins internet technology has been honoured for a lifetime’s dedication to maths.

Professor Des McHale received the first Maths Week Ireland award at the weekend in recognition of his communication of a love of all things mathematical over a long career that included being a professor of maths at University College Cork.

The first holder of that post, George Boole, was the man whose theories of logic are behind modern digital gadgets. Prof McHale’s biography of Boole was revised in time for the UCC-led celebration last year of the 200th anniversary of Boole’s birth.