February 13

Born in 1666, Wotton became a prodigious scholar at Cambridge. He engaged in famous debates with John Locke on human understanding and metaphysics. Wotton published pioneering works on the relationship between ancient languages. He translated and commented on classical texts, contributing to early modern philology. His erudition spanned theology, history, and linguistics, reflecting his polymathic talents. He passed away in 1727, remembered for advancing linguistic and scholarly studies in England.

Born in 1711 in Dubrovnik, Boscovich studied and later taught at the Jesuit Collegium Romanum. He proposed an early atomic theory outlining point particles and forces at their interactions. His 1758 work 'Theoria Philosophiae Naturalis' influenced later developments in physics and chemistry. Boscovich conducted geodetic surveys, mapping parts of France and the Papal States with precision. He also made significant contributions to astronomy, mathematics, and metaphysical philosophy. He died in 1787, remembered as one of the 18th century's most versatile scientific thinkers.

Jan Łukasiewicz was a leading Polish philosopher and mathematician who transformed the study of logic. He introduced Polish notation, a parenthesis-free format for logical expressions, and developed multi-valued logic systems that extended classical logic. His work laid the groundwork for modern computer science and influenced the development of formal languages. He served as a professor at Lviv University and was a member of the Polish Academy of Learning. Łukasiewicz's theories continue to shape research in logic, mathematics, and philosophy.

Werner Heyde was an academic psychiatrist who held professorships at several German universities. He became deeply involved in the Third Reich's euthanasia policy, overseeing the medical evaluation and execution of individuals deemed unfit. After World War II, he lived under an alias before being exposed in the late 1950s. His career remains a stark example of medical ethics compromised by ideology. Heyde’s actions sparked postwar legal and moral debates on professional responsibility.

Born in 1909 in Nizhyn, Bogolyubov made foundational contributions to theoretical physics and mathematics. He developed the Bogolyubov transformation in quantum field theory and methods in statistical mechanics. His work on nonlinear oscillations and dynamical systems influenced fields from turbulence to condensed matter physics. As a professor at Moscow State University, he founded the Department of Mathematical Physics and mentored many leading scientists. Bogolyubov authored seminal texts that remain central to graduate studies in physics and mathematics.

Robert Klark Graham was an American eugenicist, aviator, and entrepreneur born in 1906. He made his fortune in real estate and aviation before turning his interests to human genetics. In 1980, he founded the Repository for Germinal Choice, a selective sperm bank that sought to encourage the birth of children from Nobel laureates and other intellectuals. His work ignited debates about ethics, heredity, and social engineering. Despite controversy, his sperm bank operated for over a decade and remains a notable episode in the history of assisted reproduction.

Mark Aleksandrovich Krasnosel'skii was a Russian-Ukrainian mathematician renowned for his work in nonlinear functional analysis. He served as a professor at the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences and made significant contributions to fixed point theorems, measures of noncompactness, and operator theory. His theorems, including the Krasnosel'skii fixed point theorem, have applications in differential equations and mathematical physics. He authored numerous research papers and mentored generations of mathematicians, establishing a strong school of functional analysis in Eastern Europe.

James Cooke Brown was an American sociologist, science fiction author, and linguist. He is best known for creating the constructed language Loglan, designed to test the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis about the relationship between language and thought. Brown earned his doctorate in sociology and conducted research on social stratification and future studies. He wrote extensively on sociological theory and published several science fiction stories exploring social and linguistic themes. His work on Loglan influenced later languages such as Lojban and sparked ongoing discussions in linguistics and cognitive science.

Walt Whitman Rostow was an American economist and political theorist best known for his Stages of Economic Growth model. He served as a senior advisor to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson and held the position of U.S. National Security Advisor from 1966 to 1969. Rostow played a key role in shaping U.S. foreign policy during the Vietnam War and advocated for modernization theory in developing countries. A professor at Yale University, he wrote extensively on economic development and international relations. His influential work bridged academia and government, leaving a significant impact on postwar policy debates.

François Tavenas was a French-born Canadian engineer and academic leader. He held professorships in civil engineering at Université Laval where he conducted research in structural mechanics and earthquake engineering. Tavenas served in senior administrative roles, including vice-rector for academic affairs, and contributed to the development of engineering education. He fostered international collaboration in academic research and worked to modernize engineering programs. His leadership strengthened ties between academia and industry in Canada.

Miles J. Jones (1952–2013) was an American pathologist and physician who specialized in laboratory-based disease diagnosis. He held academic positions at respected medical schools, where he taught and mentored future pathologists. Jones published research on improved diagnostic techniques and the interpretation of clinical pathology results. He served on professional committees and reviewed articles for key medical journals. His dedication to precision in laboratory medicine advanced both patient care and medical education programs.

Ottaplakkal Neelakandan Velu Kurup (1931–2016), known as O. N. V. Kurup, was a renowned Indian poet writing in Malayalam. He served as an academic at the University of Kerala and influenced generations of students with his lyrical poetry. Kurup wrote over twenty collections of poems and contributed lyrics to numerous Malayalam films. His works earned him prestigious awards including the Jnanpith Award, Padma Shri, and Padma Vibhushan. Recognized for blending classical and modern themes, his poetry explored humanism, social justice, and spirituality. Kurup’s enduring legacy continues to shape Malayalam literature and cultural discourse.