Anil Nerode, the Goldwin Smith Professor of Mathematics, will receive an honorary degree from his alma mater University of Chicago at its June 12 convocation ceremony.

"No other scholar has exerted a more profound impact upon the fields of mathematical logic and theoretical computer science than Nerode," said Robert Soare, University of Chicago professor of computer science and mathematics.

Having mentored 50 Ph.D. students, Nerode counts nearly 500 mathematicians and computer scientists among his academic descendants.

Ironically, for the last 20 years Nerode's research has focused more on control theory than logic. He is currently investigating the use of control theory to enhance artificial photosynthesis.

After receiving a B.A (1959) and then a B.S. (1952), M.S. (1953) and Ph.D. (1956), the latter three in mathematics from the University of Chicago, Nerode joined the Cornell faculty in 1959.