The Real Story Behind “A Beautiful Mind”

Chemistry to Mathematics

Unbeknownst to some, John didn’t start out wanting to study mathematics. Initially, he selected chemical engineering as his major, then switched to chemistry. It wasn’t until his teacher, John Lighton Synge suggested that his talents may be better suited to mathematics that he changed his mind. In 1948 at just 19-years-old, the hardworking scholar graduated with a B.S and an M.S in mathematics, but his education didn’t stop there. Two prestigious universities were vying to get the exceptional young man on board, but who would he choose?