Jack van Lint (1932-2004): A survey of his scientific work

When Jack van Lint was appointed as full professor at the Eindhoven University of Technology at the age of 26 he combined a PhD in number theory with a very open scientific mind. It took a sabbatical visit to Bell Laboratories in 1966 to make him understand that a new and fascinating field of applied mathematics was emerging: discrete mathematics. It fascinated and inspired him for the rest of his life. When he passed away on September 28, 2004, he left behind a legacy of 18 books and 177 articles, covering many aspects of coding theory, combinatorics, and finite geometry. van Lint was also a strong international advocate of the role that discrete mathematics ought to play in modern applied mathematics curricula. Quite a few departments sought his advice. Years later, four different universities showed their appreciation by awarding him an honorary degree.

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2006
• Where: JCT
• Authors: Bram Van Asch, Aart Blokhuis, Henk D. L. Hollmann, William M. Kantor, Henk C. A. van Tilborg
• Keywords: Jack Van Lint, JCT 2006, Open Scientific Mind, Van Lint