Warren Weaver
Early Life and Education
Warren Weaver was born on July 17, 1894, in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. He attended the University of Wisconsin, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1916 and a Ph.D. in mathematics in 1921.
Career
Weaver started his career as a mathematics professor at the University of Wisconsin. In 1932, he joined the Rockefeller Foundation, where he served as the director of the Natural Sciences Division from 1932 to 1955. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in the development of molecular biology.
Weaver is also known for his work in information theory. In 1949, he co-authored a book with Claude Shannon, titled "The Mathematical Theory of Communication". This work is considered a seminal text in the field of information theory.
Contributions to Science
Weaver's contributions to science extend beyond his work in information theory. He was instrumental in promoting the use of statistical analysis in the natural sciences, and he played a key role in the development of machine translation.
Later Life and Legacy
Weaver retired from the Rockefeller Foundation in 1955, but he continued to contribute to the field of science until his death in 1978. His legacy lives on through his contributions to information theory, molecular biology, and statistical analysis.