The illustrious Godofredo García Díaz was a Peruvian mathematician and engineer, a favorite student at the San Marcos Mayor University (UNMSM), considered together with Federico Villarreal one of the most brilliant mathematical minds in the history of Peru. He was born in Lima on November 8th, 1888, and died on July 16st, 1970, at the age of 81 in this same city.
Studies
Her high school was at the Lima School, which today is known as the educational institution, Pedro A. Labarthe. In 1909 he graduated from the San Marcos Mayor University (UNMSM) Science Faculty and in 1912 he obtained his doctorate in Mathematical Sciences. At the same time, he studied engineering and received a Civil Engineer from the Engineering National University (UNI) in 1991.
Mentors
García Díaz was a very dear student to the Peruvian mathematician Federico Villareal. Likewise, he formed close ties with the distinguished Polish mathematician Alfred Rosenblatt, with whom he worked side by side to found the Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences National Academy from Peru; and directed the publication «Academy Proceedings «. Furthermore, it is known that he maintained a very close relationship with the great Albert Einstein through correspondence.
Teaching
Godofredo García Díaz worked as a teacher at the San Marcos Mayor University (UNMSM), specifically at the Sciences Faculty, Engineering School. This impeccable Peruvian mathematician was a magnificent teacher and his contribution to the academic training of young people who have excelled in the scientific life of the country is demonstrated by José Tola, Enrique Heredia, Rafael Dávila and Mario Samamé Boggio; they are just some of the biggest names in his legacy. Likewise, he taught at the Chorrilllos Military School.
Contributions
His early research papers were «Flat Curves Unique Points» and «Strength of Reinforced Concrete Columns» for his thesis. Later, the scientific investigation «Exact equations and exact solutions of the movement and stresses of viscous fluids» that he arrived out in 1948, allowed him to win the national prize awarded to scientific investigations. Likewise, he wrote three books on mathematics that until today are used as reference texts in universities: Lessons in rational mechanics (1937), On a cosmogonic theory (1940) and Algebraic Analysis, Ed. Sanmart (1955).