Floyd Williams

Floyd Leroy Williams (born September 20, 1939) is a North American mathematician well known for his work in Lie theory and, most recently, mathematical physics. In addition to Lie theory, his research interests are in homological algebra and the mathematics of quantum mechanics. He received his B.S.(1962) in Mathematics from Lincoln University of Missouri, and later his M.S.(1965) and Ph.D.(1972) from Washington University in St. Louis. Williams was appointed professor of mathematics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1984, and has been professor emeritus since 2005.

Floyd Williams was born on September 20, 1939, and lived in Kansas City, Missouri. He was raised in extreme poverty. His mother told him not to complain about their situation, but rather to have faith in God and work hard. Her advice was taken, and it worked. He eventually was ordained in addition to being a mathematician.

However, it was music, not mathematics, that appealed to him through high school. "In fact," he admits, "mathematics was the only course in which I did not do well." Williams had not thought of going to college until his last week in high school when he was offered a music scholarship at Lincoln University of Missouri in Jefferson City, Missouri.

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