Pernambuco mathematician Fernando Cardoso dies at 86
Mathematician Fernando Cardoso died on Tuesday (5) at the age of 86, leaving a deep mark on the consolidation and development of mathematical research in Pernambuco. A full professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) and a member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC), he was one of the academic references of his generation and was a member of IMPA’s Technical-Scientific Council.
“Fernando is one of the great historical leaders of mathematics in Pernambuco. In addition to his own career as a researcher, he played a prominent role in consolidating the mathematics department at UFPE,” said Marcelo Viana, director-general of IMPA.
A specialist in Partial Differential Equations, Cardoso has carried out research in areas such as scattering theory, spectral theory, inverse problems and microlocal analysis. His scientific output includes around 40 published works, as well as advising master’s and doctoral students, contributing to the training of new generations of mathematicians.
His academic career got off to a promising start. In 1962, he graduated in Electrical Engineering from UFPE as the best student in his class. During this period, he was encouraged by mathematician Ruy Luis Gomes to pursue a career in the field. The following year, he joined the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, where he obtained his master’s degree in 1965 and his doctorate in 1968.
After completing his degree, he returned to Brazil and began working at UFPE, initially as a visiting professor and later as a full professor in the Mathematics Department. He played a decisive role in consolidating the department and structuring the postgraduate program, which he also coordinated, as well as heading the department for several years.
Throughout his career, he maintained intense international collaboration. He received grants from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation (1972-1973) and the National Science Foundation (1973-1974), during which time he was a visiting fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. He also made scientific visits to institutions such as the École Polytechnique de Paris, the Université Paris-Sud (Orsay) and the Université de Paris-Nord, as well as universities in Italy, Germany and France.
A CNPq Full Researcher since 1976, he was a full member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and a Commander of the National Order of Scientific Merit. He has also played an outstanding role in scientific development and evaluation bodies, such as the CNPq Scientific and Technological Council and CAPES, where he chaired the Commission of Consultants in the area of Mathematics and Statistics.
Throughout his career, he took part in congresses and gave lectures in various countries, broadening the scope of his scientific work and strengthening the international exchange of Brazilian mathematics.
Fernando Cardoso leaves a lasting legacy, both for his scientific contributions and for his fundamental role in building institutions and training researchers.