William Vernon Skiles was a professor of mathematics and dean at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Education
Skiles possessed a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Chicago, a Master of Arts degree from Harvard University and an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Georgia. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and the Georgia Academy of Science.
Career
He helped create what is now the Research Institute. After Skiles" retirement in December 1945, the faculty were requested to donate to a fund to "give him a first class dinner and a gift." So much was donated that the remainder was put into the Dean Skiles Fund, which "provides the faculty expenses for flowers, gifts, entertainment" that could not be paid for with funds from the State of Georgia. The Skiles Classroom Building has been home to the Department of Mathematics since 1958.
Its previous home was the second Shop Building.
The nearby Skiles Walkway is the primary east-west pedestrian corridor through campus, connecting the Library to the Student Center.
Membership
He was a member of Beta Theta Pi, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and the Georgia Academy of Science.