1909-1984

Polish-born American mathematician. Ulam was educated at the Polytechnic Institute in Warsaw, where his mathematics teachers challenged him with special problems in set theory after realizing the extent of his mathematical talents. He immigrated to the United States in 1935, becoming a citizen in 1941, and taught at Harvard and the University of Wisconsin. He interrupted his academic career in 1944 to work on the hydrogen bomb, remaining active in weapons-related work for 23 years.