1862-1943

German mathematician whose work in geometry was more influential than any mathematician since Euclid. His work helped to put geometry on a formal footing, while his work in other areas proved equally fundamental. Hilbert also made significant contributions to mathematical physics, including work that paralleled Albert Einstein's during the development of general relativity theory. Although his contributions are too numerous to do more than simply mention here, he is remembered as one of the greatest mathematicians in the history of the field.