Pablo Miguel Merino

Mathematician. Eminent Professor of Mathematical Analysis at the University of La Habana, from 1913 to 1944, author of excellent texts on the discipline. On May 20, 1913 he took charge of the Chair of Mathematical Analysis, a responsibility he held until his death.

He was born in La Habana. He completed his primary and secondary education at the Colegio de Belén in La Habana. Upon graduating as a Bachelor, he went to Spain, where he completed his first year of science studies at the University of Deusto, near Bilbao (1903-1904), as preparation to pursue studies in Civil Engineering. He examined subjects at the universities of Salamanca and Central de Madrid, with grades of outstanding and extraordinary prize.

Upon his return to Cuba, at age 17, he continued his studies at the University of La Habana, where he graduated successively, with a brilliant academic record, as Doctor in Physical-Mathematical Sciences (1908), Architect (1910), and Civil Engineer (1912).

In 1908, Miquel won by opposition the position of Faculty Assistant of the Cabinet of Astronomy at the University of La Habana, and later that of Auxiliary Professor of the Chair of Astronomy (1912). In May 1913 he began teaching Mathematical Analysis, replacing the titular chair professor, engineer José R. Villalón, who had been granted leave to serve as Secretary of Public Works.

On September 1, 1921 he was appointed Titular Professor of the Chair of Mathematical Analysis at the University of La Habana, after succeeding in the corresponding competitive examination, called for this purpose due to Villalón's resignation from the position. Professor Miquel maintained at a high level the teaching of Mathematical Analysis during the more than 30 years he was in charge of teaching this discipline at the University of La Habana, which, in turn, exercised a beneficial influence on the teaching of mathematics at the secondary level.

He died in Ciudad de La Habana on April 3, 1944.

However, the harsh realities of Cuba in that era meant that he had to devote much of his time to earning daily bread for his large family, to such an extent that, according to Professor Manuel F. Gran: "he died in the prime of his life, exhausted by tasks situated at a level far below those that corresponded to his robust intellectual condition, having been wasted and left as an unfinished researcher."

In 1979, the Sociedad Cubana de Matemática established the "Pablo Miquel" prize to honor Cuban mathematicians who have accomplished distinguished work in their specialty.

In 1914 he published his Elements of Higher Algebra, which he had composed quickly with a view to enriching his academic record. From this work a greatly expanded version saw the light in 1939, which was used for many years as a university text. His best texts are, however, a volume on Differential Calculus and another on Integral Calculus, published in 1941 and 1942, respectively, which were also used with great benefit for many years, as demonstrated by the multiple reprints made from 1959 onwards. All these works are characterized by offering a very complete and rigorous treatment of their respective subjects, as well as by their clarity and high pedagogical quality, where not the least important is the great quantity of original exercises proposed, of great utility for student training.

Generally considered by his colleagues as the par excellence representative of the then small community of Cuban professionals dedicated to physical-mathematical sciences, for his evident capacity, his extraordinary willingness to serve, industriousness and natural goodness and simplicity, no less than for his integrity and modesty, he was elected President of the Sociedad Cubana de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas when it was founded in 1942.