# Herman Goldstine

> American mathematician (1913–2004)

**Wikidata**: [Q93005](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q93005)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Goldstine)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/herman-goldstine

## Summary
Herman Goldstine was an American mathematician and computer scientist who played a pivotal role in the early development of electronic computing. He served as a key liaison between the United States Army and the University of Pennsylvania's ENIAC project during World War II and later held significant positions at the Institute for Advanced Study and IBM. His career spanned from academic mathematics to executive leadership in scientific research.

## Biography
- **Born:** September 13, 1913, in Chicago, Illinois, United States
- **Nationality:** United States
- **Education:** Doctor of Sciences (1936) from the University of Chicago; Thesis: *Conditions for Minimum of a Functional*
- **Known for:** Contributions to computer science and the history of mathematics
- **Employer(s):** 
  - University of Chicago (1936–1939)
  - University of Michigan (1939–1941)
  - United States Army (1941–1946)
  - Institute for Advanced Study (1946–1957; 1973–1984)
  - IBM (1958–1973)
- **Field(s):** Computer Science, Mathematics
- **Spouse:** Adele Goldstine (married 1941; died 1964)

## Contributions
Herman Goldstine's career was defined by his transition from pure mathematics to the nascent field of computer science. His academic work began with his 1936 doctoral thesis, *Conditions for Minimum of a Functional*, advised by Lawrence Murray Graves and William Thomas Reid at the University of Chicago.

His most significant contributions occurred during his service in the United States Army (1941–1946), where he worked on computational ballistics and early electronic computing. Following his military service, he joined the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) in Princeton, collaborating with John von Neumann on the design and construction of one of the first stored-program computers.

Goldstine later transitioned to the private sector, joining IBM in 1958. During his 15-year tenure, he rose to prominence, eventually becoming an IBM Fellow in 1969. In this role, he helped shape the company's research direction. After leaving IBM, he returned to the IAS and published works on the history of mathematics, solidifying his legacy as both a practitioner and historian of the field.

## FAQs

### Q: What was Herman Goldstine's role in World War II?
A: Goldstine served as a mathematician in the United States Army from 1941 to 1946. He acted as the liaison between the Army and the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, facilitating the development of the ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic digital computer.

### Q: What major awards did Herman Goldstine receive?
A: He was named an IBM Fellow in 1969 and received the National Medal of Science in 1983. Additionally, he was awarded the Harry H. Goode Memorial Award in 1979.

### Q: Where did Herman Goldstine work after leaving IBM?
A: After ending his employment at IBM in 1973, he returned to the Institute for Advanced Study, where he served as a scholar until 1984. He also served as an executive for the American Philosophical Society from 1984 to 1997.

## Why They Matter
Herman Goldstine was a critical bridge between the theoretical world of mathematics and the practical world of electronic computing. As a lieutenant in the U.S. Army, he was instrumental in securing funding and support for the ENIAC project, which launched the digital computer age. His subsequent collaboration with John von Neumann at the Institute for Advanced Study helped formalize the logical design of computers (the von Neumann architecture) which remains the foundation of modern computing.

At IBM, he continued to influence the industry, helping to establish the company as a leader in computer science research. Beyond his technical achievements, Goldstine preserved the history of his field through his scholarly work and executive role at the American Philosophical Society. He is remembered as a "founding father" of computing whose career touched nearly every major milestone in the field's early history.

## Notable For
- **National Medal of Science:** Awarded in 1983 for his contributions to mathematics and computer science.
- **IBM Fellow:** Achieved the company's highest technical honor in 1969.
- **Early Computing Pioneer:** Served as the Army liaison for the ENIAC project and worked with John von Neumann at the IAS.
- **Academic Lineage:** Held an Erdős number of 2, indicating his close collaborative ties within the mathematical community.
- **Historian:** Authored significant works on the history of numerical analysis and scientific computing.

## Body

### Early Life and Education
Herman Heine Goldstine was born on September 13, 1913, in Chicago, Illinois. He pursued higher education at the University of Chicago, earning his Doctor of Sciences degree in 1936. His doctoral thesis, *Conditions for Minimum of a Functional*, was completed under the guidance of advisors Lawrence Murray Graves and William Thomas Reid.

### Academic and Military Career
Following his doctorate, Goldstine served as an instructor at the University of Chicago (1936–1939) before moving to the University of Michigan (1939–1941). In 1941, he enlisted in the United States Army, where he was assigned to the Ballistic Research Laboratory. During this period, he participated in World War II and was integral to the development of electronic calculating machines to speed up the creation of firing tables.

### The Institute for Advanced Study and IBM
After the war, Goldstine joined the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) in 1946. He worked there for over a decade (1946–1957) during a seminal period for computer architecture.

In 1958, he transitioned to the private sector, joining IBM. He remained with the corporation until 1973, eventually earning the title of IBM Fellow in 1969, which granted him significant freedom to pursue independent research. Following his tenure at IBM, he returned to the IAS as a scholar from 1973 to 1984.

### Later Life and Legacy
Goldstine was an active member of the scientific community, holding memberships in the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. He served as an executive for the American Philosophical Society from 1984 to 1997.

He passed away on June 16, 2004, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, due to natural causes related to Parkinson's disease. His personal and professional papers are archived at the American Philosophical Society (Mss.Ms.Coll.19).

## References

1. MacTutor History of Mathematics archive
2. JSTOR
3. [Source](https://books.google.cat/books?id=pNmm_Axdor8C&pg=PA102)
4. [Source](https://www.ias.edu/scholars/herman-heine-goldstine)
5. [Source](https://www.ibm.com/ibm/ideasfromibm/us/ibm_fellows/)
6. [Source](https://www.amacad.org/person/herman-heine-goldstine)
7. Mathematics Genealogy Project
8. International Standard Name Identifier
9. Virtual International Authority File
10. CiNii Research
11. Integrated Authority File
12. SNAC
13. [Source](https://history.computer.org/pioneers/goldstine.html)
14. Herman Heine Goldstine, 13 September 1913 · 16 June 2004
15. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
16. CONOR.SI
17. Autoritats UB
18. LIBRIS. 2010
19. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File