Ioan Mire Melik | |
|---|---|
 Melik at Junimea, 1873 | |
| Born | Iacob Ioan Miren Melik August 9, 1840 |
| Died | January 29, 1889 (aged 48) |
| Nationality | Romanian |
| Alma mater | École des Mines de Paris |
| Awards | Bene Merenti medal 1st class (1880) Order of the Star of Romania (1884; declined) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | University of Iași |
Ioan Mire Melik, or Melic (born Iacob Ioan Miren Melik;[1] August 9, 1840 – January 29, 1889), was a Wallachian, later Romanian mathematician, educator and political figure, one of the early members of Junimea literary society. Known for his work in private education, and for his tenure at the University of Iași, he was the author of several early introductions to science—dealing with arithmetic and geometry, but also with topography and surveying. He was perceived as a bland figure at Junimea meetings, and had little to do with its literary agenda, but took care of administrative chores and, for a while, of its publishing venture. In his other job as headmaster of Institutele-Unite high school, where he employed poet Mihai Eminescu as a German-language teacher, he was regarded as remarkably stern, and had a publicized showdown with the students.
Taking his cue from the Junimist leadership, Melik followed the literary club as it transformed itself into a liberal conservative party. He represented Iași city in the Assembly of Deputies in the 1884 legislature, and then, under a Junimist government, helped enforce Titu Maiorescu's policies in the educational field. Melik is also remembered as an engineer and entrepreneur, who contributed to the modern history of Costeștii Botoșanilor village, his personal estate. He died of an unspecified disease at age 48, and was survived by his son Eugen, who followed in his footsteps as both a politician and an academic. Melik Jr was a leader of the Democratic Nationalist Party during and after World War I, but disappeared from public life after being exposed and sentenced as a confidence man.
- ^ (in Romanian) Liviu Papuc, "Ioan M. Melik sau simțul practic la Junimea", in Convorbiri Literare, December 2006