George David Birkhoff

About

One of the foremost 20th century scientists, whose ergodic theorem solved a problem plaguing the science of the statistics for years. He was also the President of the American Mathematical Society from 1925 to 1926.

Before Fame

After completing his studies at the University of Chicago and Harvard University, he went to teach at Princeton, mentoring the top mathematical minds of the next generation.

Trivia

He was the first to provide a proof for a theorem that the mathematician Poincare pointed out the previous year, and his solution brought him instant acclaim in the scientific community.

Family Life

He was born in Overisel, Michigan.

Associated With

His findings had a profound effect on the kinetic theory of gases proposed by Ludwig Boltzmann and James Clerk Maxwell.