Von Neumann, John, 1903-1957

John (Johann) Louis von Neumann (1903-1957) was born in Budapest and showed early signs of being a child prodigy. He entered the University of Budapest in 1921, but also attended the University of Berlin and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology before obtaining a degree in chemical engineering in 1925. He earned his Doctorate in Mathematics from the University of Budapest in 1927. After graduation, he worked at the University of Berlin before becoming a visiting professor to Princeton from 1930-1953. Concurrent with his time at Princeton was the development of the Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS), of which he was an active participant working with the creation of an IAS computer. He became a U.S. citizen in the 1930s. His interests and fields of study included early computers and computing, hydrodynamics, ballistics, meteorology, statistics, quantum theory, and game theory (which he founded). His knowledge and expertise in these areas allowed him to assist the U. S. government during WWII, including working with the Los Alamos National Laboratory (the Manhattan Project), and he continued with this work even after the war. During the 1950s, Von Neumann was employed as a consultant with IBM: his only patent was filed for them in 1954.

From the guide to the John Von Neumann Collection 2003-096., 1913-1925, 1942-1956, 1989-1992, (Archives of American Mathematics, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)

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