# Manfred Kochen

> Mathematician, Computer scientist U. Michigan; PhD Columbia 1955

**Wikidata**: [Q5991384](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5991384)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/manfred-kochen

## Summary
Manfred Kochen was an Austrian-born American mathematician, computer scientist, and sociologist. He is best known for his long-term association with the University of Michigan and for earning his PhD from Columbia University in 1955. His work spanned the intersection of social networks and information science.

## Biography
- **Born:** July 4, 1928 in Vienna, Austria
- **Died:** January 7, 1989
- **Nationality:** Austrian
- **Education:** PhD, Columbia University (1955)
- **Employer(s):** University of Michigan
- **Field(s):** Mathematics, Computer Science, Sociology
- **Languages:** English

## Contributions
Manfred Kochen contributed to the academic community primarily through his role as a researcher and educator at the University of Michigan. Operating at the intersection of mathematics, sociology, and computer science, he helped bridge these disciplines during the formative years of computational social science.

His most tangible academic contributions include the mentorship of doctoral students who went on to have their own careers in computer science. Notable students he supervised include Abbe Mowshowitz, an American computer scientist known for his work on the measure of information, and Peter Hermann Roosen-Runge. Through his teaching and research, Kochen influenced the study of information systems and sociological modeling. His professional legacy is preserved through various authority control identifiers, including the Library of Congress (n79144738) and the Mathematics Genealogy Project (129623).

## FAQs

### Q: What was Manfred Kochen’s field of study?
A: Kochen worked across three distinct fields: mathematics, computer science, and sociology.

### Q: Where did Manfred Kochen work?
A: He was employed by the University of Michigan.

### Q: When did Manfred Kochen receive his PhD?
A: He received his PhD from Columbia University in 1955.

### Q: Who were some of Manfred Kochen's notable doctoral students?
A: His doctoral students included Abbe Mowshowitz, Peter Hermann Roosen-Runge, Tridasnath Mukhopadhyay, and Wynne Chin.

## Why They Matter
Manfred Kochen matters for his interdisciplinary approach to complex problems, combining mathematical rigor with sociological inquiry and computer science. Working at the University of Michigan, he contributed to the early academic landscape of computer science. His influence extended to the next generation of scholars; for instance, his student Abbe Mowshowitz became a significant figure in computer science. Although he died in 1989, his presence in major international library catalogs and academic databases—such as VIAF, GND, and the Mathematics Genealogy Project—attests to a lasting scholarly footprint. His career exemplifies the integration of formal logic (mathematics) with the study of human systems (sociology) using computational tools.

## Notable For
- **Interdisciplinary Research:** Being recognized as a mathematician, computer scientist, and sociologist simultaneously.
- **Academic Lineage:** Serving as the doctoral advisor to students such as Abbe Mowshowitz and Wynne Chin.
- **University of Michigan:** Holding a long-standing position at a major research university.
- **Columbia University Alumnus:** Earning a PhD in 1955 from a prestigious Ivy League institution.
- **Post-War Academic:** Being born in Vienna in 1928 and establishing a significant academic career in the United States.

## Body

### Early Life and Education
Manfred Kochen was born on July 4, 1928, in Vienna, Austria. He pursued higher education in the United States, attending Columbia University. He successfully completed his PhD in 1955.

### Academic Career
Kochen spent a significant portion of his career at the University of Michigan. His professional identity was multifaceted; he is classified in academic records as a mathematician, a sociologist, and a computer scientist. This combination of disciplines suggests a focus on the quantitative analysis of social systems or information theory.

### Mentorship and Influence
Kochen played a key role in the development of future scholars. According to academic records, he supervised the following doctoral students:
*   **Abbe Mowshowitz:** An American computer scientist born in 1939.
*   **Peter Hermann Roosen-Runge**
*   **Tridasnath Mukhopadhyay**
*   **Wynne Chin**

### Death and Legacy
Manfred Kochen passed away on January 7, 1989. His biography is maintained by WikiProject Mathematics, and his bibliographic data appears in numerous international repositories, including the German National Library (GND), the Library of Congress, and the National Library of Israel. He held the VIAF ID 64809018 and the ISNI 0000000085700874.

## References

1. Mathematics Genealogy Project
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. CiNii Research
4. IdRef