Mitrofan Cioban

Mitrofan Cioban (5 January 1942 – 2 February 2021) was a Moldovan mathematician specializing in topology. He taught primarily at Tiraspol State University, and he was a member of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova and a president of the Mathematical Society of the Republic of Moldova.

Early life and education Cioban was born in Copceac (then in Tighina County, Romania, now in Ștefan Vodă District, Moldova), the fourth child out of seven of farmers Mihail and Tecla Cioban. At age 17 he enrolled in the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of Tiraspol State University. After one year Cioban transferred to Moscow State University, where he started attending the Topology seminar of Pavel Alexandrov. He obtained his PhD in 1969 with thesis Properties of Quotient Mappings and Classification of Spaces written under the direction of Alexander Arhangelskii. Despite initially not knowing Russian, German, or English, he became well-versed in mathematical literature in these languages.

Academic and professional career Upon graduation, Cioban returned in 1970 to Tiraspol State University as a faculty member, where he directed 17 PhD theses and served as prorector and then rector. Cioban supervised 22 PhD students and 4 doctors for their habilitation in mathematics.

Publications