Charles L. Dodgson, better known as his pseudonym Lewis Carroll, was a very skilled mathematician. However, that is probably not what he is most known for. Indeed, his story of Alice in Wonderland is famous worldwide.
What are some good examples of mathematicians who have become well known for things not related to mathematics/science?
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Jim Simons founded the hedge fund Renaissance Technologies. He is also known for his work on Chern-Simons forms.
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André Bloch was a french soldier in WWI who, after he leaves the military service, killed some familiars. He was enclosed in an asylum.
After he was enclosed he did several contributions in the area of complex analysis. He was written his letters from the asylum and the mathematicians that read them doesnt knew he was confined.
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Here are some people who studied mathematics, but are more well known for other things:
Ralph Abernathy ~ civil rights leader and close associate of Martin Luther King, Jr., was a mathematics professor at Alabama State University
Corazon Aquino ~ former president of the Philippines, was a mathematics major at the College of Mt. St. Vincent
Tammy Baldwin ~ US Representative and US Senator from Wisconsin majored in polical science and mathematics at Smith College
Harry Blackmun ~ former Associate Justice of the US Supreme court (author of Roe v. Wade), graduated summa cum laude in mathematics from Harvard University
Ahmed Chalabi ~ controversial Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, has a PhD in mathematics from the University of Chicago
Lewis Carroll (AKA Charles Dodgson) ~ author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, was a mathematician and logician who taught at Christ Church College Oxford. He was the author of a number of books on mathematics.
David Dinkins ~ former mayor of New York City, graduated magna cum laude with a BA in mathematics from Howard University
Richard Garfield ~ the game designer who created Magic: The Gathering received a PhD in math from the University of Pennsylvania where he studied under Herbert Wilf
Art Garfunkel ~ Paul Simon’s long-time collaborator, has a masters degree in mathematics from Columbia University (he left the PhD program to pursue his musical career)
Philip Glass ~ American composer, studied mathematics and philosophy at the University of Chicago
Teri Hatcher ~ actress, studied mathematics and engineering at De Anza College
Heloise (Poncé Cruse Evans) ~ syndicated columnist (Hints from Heloise) had a double major in business administration and mathematics, with a teacher’s certificate from Southwest Texas State University
Michael Jordan ~ basketball superstar, majored in mathematics until his junior year
Theodore Kaczynski ~ the unabomber, his PhD thesis in mathematics from the University of Michigan won the Sumner B. Myers Prize for best dissertation of the year
Tom Lehrer ~ Singer-songwriter and satirist, received a BA in mathematics (magna cum laude) from Harvard at the age of 18, he went on to complete an MA in mathematics and to start the PhD program
Danica McKellar ~ actress best known for playing Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years, graduated summa cum laude in mathematics from UCLA. She is the author of the best-selling books Math Doesn’t Suck, and Kiss My Math
Harriet Miers ~ President G. W. Bush’s (unsuccessful) nominee to the US Supreme Court, has a bachelors degree in mathematics from Southern Methodist University
Larry Niven ~ award-winning science fiction author, received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Washburn University
William J. Perry ~ Secretary of Defense under Bill Clinton, received a PhD in mathematics from Penn State University (and a BA and MA from Stanford University, with George Pólya as his thesis advisor)
David Robinson ~ famous basketball player, nicknamed “The Admiral,” has a BS in mathematics from US Naval Academy
Frank Ryan ~ quarterback who led the Cleveland Browns to the 1964 NFL title, had a PhD in mathematics from Rice University
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn ~ Nobel Prize-wining author of The Gulag Archipelago, had a degree in mathematics and physics from the University of Rostov
Bram Stoker ~ author of Dracula, received honors in mathematics from Trinity college, Dublin
John Urshel ~ this NFL player received a BS and MS in math from Penn State, and he is currently in a math PhD program at MIT
Virginia Wade ~ British tennis star, studied mathematics and physics and the University of Sussex
Paul Wolfowitz ~ U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense and President of the World Bank, studied mathematics and chemistry at Cornell University
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Masi Oka graduated from Brown University in mathematics and computer sciende, but is better known for his work as an actor (most notably for his role as Hiro Nakamura in NBS's Heroes).
Dara Ó Briain studied theoretical physics and mathematics in University College Dublin, but he's known for his work as a stand-up comedian and panel show presenter (occasionally he has used his knowledge of mathematics in some shows).
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Daniel Biss-Was Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago. As of February 22, 2018, they are a member of the Illinois Senate and a candidate in the Democratic primary for Governor of Illinois.
Ira Gessel-In the 70's, they founded the Committee to End Pay Toilets in America.
Here's my favorite:
Theodore John Kaczynski