John N. Mather *67

John Mather, professor of mathematics at Princeton, died Jan. 28, 2017, of complications from prostate cancer, at the age of 74.

The son of Norman Mather, Princeton professor of electrical engineering, Mather attended Princeton High School and graduated from Harvard in 1964. He earned a Ph.D. in mathematics from Princeton in 1967. Mather then distinguished himself as an associate professor at the Institute of Advanced Studies in France. In 1975, he joined Princeton as a full professor.

Mather specialized in differential topology and dynamical systems. Charles Fefferman *69, the Herbert E. Jones Jr. ’43 University Professor of Mathematics at Princeton, who knew Mather since they were graduate students at Princeton in the 1960s, said, “He was a great mathematician. If you were not well enough informed in math to know how much he had done, there was no clue from his behavior that he was a great man. He was modest and self-effacing.”

Mather received many honors, including an award from the American Mathematical Society. He was a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

He is survived by his wife, Naomi; and four children (including Thomas ’99). In his memory the University flag was flown at half-staff.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.