Well-Known Autistic Mathematicians

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face many challenges due to their lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder. They commonly struggle with communication and social interactions, may be hypersensitive or hyposensitive to certain sensory stimuli, and also exhibit restrictive interests and/or repetitive behaviors.

At the same time, people who have autism can also possess extraordinary abilities. As visual thinkers, they often excel in subjects such as mathematics, art, music, engineering, architecture and more.

In fact, some people on the autism spectrum have such exceptional talents in one area when compared to the general population that they are considered to also have Savant Syndrome.

There is so much that people with ASD can accomplish in life, especially when given the right support such as applied behavioral analysis treatment. Also known as ABA therapy, this science-based approach to learning and behavior helps people with autism gain social, communication and daily life skills with which they might struggle.

Below, we highlight some well-known mathematicians who have autism to show just how much people with ASD can do.

Learn more about the specialized talents of people with autism

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Albert Einstein

While most people would classify Albert Einstein as a physicist, there is no separating the mathematical skills that are needed to do what he did. His is most well-known for developing the Theory of Relativity, which transformed astronomy and theoretical physics in the early part of the 20th century.

His work was able to supersede a theory of mechanics that Isaac Newton had developed more than 200 years before.

Einstein wasn’t ever officially diagnosed with ASD, but many experts in the field believe he had Asperger’s syndrome. He faced challenges with social situations as well as expressing himself.

Sir Isaac Newton

Speaking of Isaac Newton, he is also believed to have had ASD, though he was never officially diagnosed. He was a physicist, astronomer and mathematician who contributed so much to so many fields.

He is credited with creating calculus, established classical mechanics and came up with mathematical descriptions of gravity.

It’s said that Newton didn’t enjoy interacting with other people and was known to be awkward when he was having conversations with peers. In fact, he attempted to remain isolated from other people as much as he possibly could.

Dr. Vernon Smith

Dr. Smith has won a Nobel Prize for his work in economics. In fact, he is credited with inventing experimental economics, which is what he won the award for.

While he has autism, Dr. Smith was able to achieve so much, including being a Chapman University professor of economics. He has actually credited the fact that he has ASD with aiding him in his career, saying that he never felt social pressures to do things in the same way that others do them.

Because of this, Dr. Smith said he approached his work in a more open-minded way, which allowed him to create new ideas.

Paul Erdos

Paul Erdos has published the most papers of any mathematician in the history of the world. Born in Hungary , he achieved many great things in the field of mathematics. This includes combinatorics, graph theory and number theory — all of which has left a huge mark in his field of work.

He displayed many characteristics that are associated with ASD, including challenges with social interactions and a significant preference for keeping a strict routine. Some of these traits actually helped him in his work, since mathematics is such a rigid field at times.

Alan Turing

Considered to be the “father of computer science,” Alan Turing was believed to have autism. During World War II, he produced groundbreaking work in cryptography.

He also contributed significantly to artificial intelligence’s development, which is having a profound impact on many aspects of life today. There aren’t too many aspects of modern life that aren’t being influenced in some way by AI, after all.

Turing possessed a very unique way of identifying patterns that others couldn’t and thought about things in a completely unique light. This helped him crack what’s known as the Enigma code, which laid the basic foundations for the field of computer science.

Trust Blue Gems ABA with Your Child’s Growth

These famous mathematicians are just a few of the well-known people who have achieved so much despite the fact that they are on the autism spectrum. This small sampling goes to show the amazing things that people with autism can accomplish, especially when given the right tools and support.

At Blue Gems ABA, our dedicated team of therapists administers ABA therapy to children with autism on a one-to-one basis. We create personalized treatment plans that are catered to each child’s unique strengths and challenges.

In doing so, we help support them and ensure they live a happy, healthy and fulfilling life, full of accomplishments.

To learn more, please contact us today.