1860-1940

Italian mathematician whose most important work was in the area of integral equations. Volterra showed how some of the work of William Rowan Hamilton and Karl Jacobi could be extended from mechanics to other problems in mathematical physics. He also published papers in which he introduced equations used in the biological study of predator-prey relationships. Refusing to take an oath of allegiance to the Fascist Italian government in 1931, Volterra was forced to leave the University of Rome and lived abroad for most of the rest of his life.