On this day in history : 4th July 1985 – Child prodigy Ruth Lawrence graduates Oxford University with a starred first in mathematics…. At 13-years-old she is the youngest known Oxford graduate….
Ruth was born in Brighton on the 2nd of August 1971 to Harry Lawrence and his wife Sylvia Greybourne – who were both computer consultants…. When Ruth turned 5-years-old her father gave up work to educate her at home….
Aged 9 she passed her ‘O’ level in mathematics and then achieved Grade A at A-level pure mathematics…. In 1981 she passed the Oxford University entrance exam in maths and in 1983 at the age 11 joined St. Hugh’s College…. Her father accompanied her to lectures…. Ruth completed her Bachelor’s degree in two years – as opposed to the usual three….and graduated at the age of 13 with a starred first and special commendation…. This made her the youngest person to graduate Oxford University in modern times….
Ruth continued her studies; she went on to gain a Bachelor’s degree in physics in 1986 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in mathematics in June 1989….
Once again accompanied by her father, Ruth moved to the US to work at Harvard and became a junior fellow at 19-years-old; she then went on to the University of Michigan as an associate professor….
In 1998 Ruth married fellow mathematician Ariyeh Neimark and she moved to Israel and became an associate professor at the same establishment as her husband, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem…. This time her father did not accompany her! In 2012 she became a fellow of the American Mathematical Society….
Ruth became the mother of four children…. She has expressed some regret at her childhood and vowed she would not put her own children through the rigorous studies she had to endure….
Cottage Capers 