Stephen Arthur Jennings

Stephen Arthur Jennings (May 11, 1915 – February 2, 1979) was a mathematician who made significant breakthroughs in the study of modular representation theory, (Jennings 1941). His advisor was Richard Brauer, and his student Rimhak Ree discovered two infinite series of finite simple groups known as the Ree groups. He was an editor of Mathematics Magazine and an acting president of the University of Victoria.

Stephen was born in Walthamstow, England and immigrated to Canada with his family in 1928. He had been receiving scholarships in England and these were transferred to Canada. He finished his high school education in Toronto and in Sept 1932 he went to University College in Toronto. In 1939 he received his PHD from the University of Toronto. He married Dorothy Freeda Rintoul (University of Western University - B.A. and University of Toronto M.A. Psychology)in 1939. On November 14, 1942 he became a Member of the Zeta Psi Fraternity. When he was made a professor, he was the youngest professor ever appointed in Canada. In 1944 Stephen was appointed 2nd Lieutenant (Paymaster) in Canadian Army. While in Vancouver, teaching at the University of British Columbia, Stephen and Dorothy established their family, two children, Judith Anne Jennings and James Stephen Jennings. Stephen was Dean of Graduate Studies at the University of Victoria and the Head of the Math Department there.