John von Neumann: Under-recognized Genius

Wednesday, November 13, 2024
7pm EST

Michael Allen

Via Zoom

Join us for an exploration of the extraordinary life of John von Neumann, a Hungarian mathematician whose genius shaped multiple facets of our modern world. A child prodigy and a man of vibrant personality, von Neumann revolutionized fields as diverse as computer science, nuclear physics, and economics. In addition to his crucial role in the development of the atomic bomb, his groundbreaking work laid the foundation for today’s digital age. A bon vivant, he had two marriages to neglected women, one of whom developed into a successful mathematician and computer programmer in her own right.

Michael Allen worked as a family physician in Nova Scotia for 17 years before joining Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine in 1994. In 2022 he fully retired as full professor in the Faculty’s Office of Continuing Professional Development where he was Director of Evidence-based Programs. In retirement he has been taking courses and reading popular books on mathematics and physics. Along the way he encountered the influence of John von Neumann in many contexts and hopes others will find the story of von Neumann’s life as fascinating as he did.