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From proposing the wave theory of light to discovering the actual shape of the rings of Saturn and inventing the pendulum clock, Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens had contributed a lot to science. Born to a diplomat, Huygens had the privilege of an elite education but remain sickly throughout his life.
Simon Stevin was a Flemish physicist, mathematician, and military engineer. He is best remembered for his contributions to various fields of science and engineering. Simon Stevin is also credited with several discoveries and inventions. He pioneered the practical application of surveying and hydraulic engineering.
Willebrord Snell was a Dutch mathematician and astronomer. He is credited with rediscovering the law of refraction, which is named Snell's law in his honor. A much-revered mathematician in the Netherlands, Willebrord Snell was honored by the Royal Netherlands Navy by naming three of its survey ships after him. Snellius, a lunar crater, is also named in his honor.
Best remembered for introducing the concepts of the fixed-point theorem and mathematical intuitionism, Dutch mathematician L. E. J. Brouwer was dragged into a controversy when he opposed David Hilbert’s formalism. He was also interested in philosophy and penned volumes such as Life, Art, and Mysticism.
Willem de Sitter was a Dutch physicist, mathematician, and astronomer. A respected figure, Willem de Sitter served as the director of the famous Leiden Observatory from 1919 to 1934. He worked alongside Albert Einstein and made important discoveries in the field of physical cosmology. He was the recipient of the James Craig Watson Medal, Bruce Medal, and Prix Jules Janssen.
Gemma Frisius introduced the triangulation method for map-making, that is still an integral part of surveys these days. He also created detailed globes and mathematical instruments and was a co-founder of the Netherlandish school of cartography. He also released the first published drawing of a pinhole camera obscura.
Dutch physicist and mathematician Pieter van Musschenbroek is remembered for introducing the principle of the Leyden jar. He also taught at several universities. Born to an instrument maker, he initially studied medicine but later also focused on philosophy. He made pioneering contributions to tribology.
Thomas Jan Stieltjes was a Dutch mathematician who contributed immensely to the study of continued fractions, for which he was honored by the French Academy of Sciences with the prestigious Ormoy Prize. A pioneer in the study of moment problems, Thomas Jan Stieltjes also worked diligently on number theory and analysis.
Tatyana Afanasyeva was a physicist and mathematician best remembered for making important contributions to the fields of statistical thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. She is also known as the wife of Austrian physicist Paul Ehrenfest with whom she collaborated often. Tatyana Afanasyeva published several papers on various topics like entropy and randomness.
Tatyana Pavlovna Ehrenfest was a Dutch mathematician best remembered for her contributions to low-discrepancy sequences, De Bruijn sequences, and the BEST theorem. Tatyana Pavlovna Ehrenfest was the daughter of famous physicists, Paul Ehrenfest and Tatyana Alexeyevna Afanasyeva.
Karen Aardal is a Norwegian and Dutch theoretical computer scientist, applied mathematician, and operations researcher. Apart from her research work, Aardal also works as a professor of Applied Mathematics at TU Delft. Her research work involves integer programming, combinatorial optimization, facility location, and approximation algorithms.
Johannes Hudde was a Dutch mathematician whose ideas were used by Leibniz and Isaac Newton while working on infinitesimal calculus. Hudde was also known for his work as the mayor of Amsterdam from 1672 to 1703. He pioneered Hudde's stones to measure water level at different points in the city. This laid the foundation for the Normaal Amsterdams Peil (NAP).
Hendrik C. van de Hulst was a Dutch mathematician and astronomer. He is credited with developing the anomalous diffraction theory. A respected astronomer, Hendrik played an important role in several international space research projects. Over the course of his career, he was honored with many prestigious awards like the Henry Draper Medal, Bruce Medal, Rumford Medal, and Eddington Medal.
