MURRAY SEYMOUR KLAMKIN - Matematika

Memorial Celebration of the Life of Murray Seymour Klamkin (1921-2004) 143ical Association of America, partly arising from his involvement with the WilliamLowell Putnam Mathematics Competition.In 1972, the MAA started the USA Mathematical Olympiad, paving the wayfor the country’s entry into the International Mathematical Olympiad in 1974,hosted by what was still East Germany.Murray was unable to obtain from Ford release time to coach the team.Disappointed, he began to look elsewhere for an alternative career. This was whatbrought him to Canada, at first as a Professor of Applied Mathematics at theUniversity of Waterloo.However, it was not until the offer came from the University of Alberta thatmade up his mind to leave Ford. I did not know if Murray had been to Banff before,but he must have visited this tourist spot during the negotiation period, fell in lovewith the place and closed the deal.As Chair, Murray brought with him a management style from the privatesector. Apparently not everyone was happy with that, but he did light some firesunder several pairs of pants, and rekindled the research programs of the wearers.Murray had always been interested in Euclidean Geometry. He often toldme about his high school years when he and a friend would challenge each otherto perform various Euclidean constructions. Although the Chair had no teachingduties at the time, Murray took on a geometry class himself.At the same time, Murray began editing the Olympiad Corner in Crux Mathematicorum,a magazine then published privately by Professor Leo Sauve of Ottawa.It is now an official journal of the Canadian Mathematical Society. Murray alsointroduced the Freshmen and Undergraduate Mathematics Competitions in theDepartment.Geometry, mathematics competitions and Crux Mathematicorum were whatbrought me to Murray’s attention. At the time, I was a post-doctoral fellow seekingemployment, having just graduated from his Department. Thus I was ready to doanything, and it happened that my interests coincided with those of Murray. Iwas holding office hours for his geometry class, helping to run the Department’scompetitions and assisting him in his editorial duty.I remember being called into his office one day. He had just received a problemproposal for Crux Mathematicorum. ”Here is a nice problem,” he said, ”but theproposer’s solution is crappy. Come up with a nice solution, and I need it by Fridayafternoon!”As much as I liked problem-solving, I was not sure that I could produce resultsby an industrial schedule. Nevertheless, I found that I did respond to challenges,and although I was not able to satisfy him every time, I managed to do much betterthan if I was left on my own, especially after I had got over the initial culture shock.The late seventies were hard times for academics, with few openings in postsecondaryinstitutions. I was short-listed for every position offered by the Department,but always came just short. Eventually, I went elsewhere for a year as