I know I shouldn't but...

the phrase "a wasted mind" really Really REALLY offends me. Did ya read the article? He was a mathematician before immigrating.

I'll shut up now.

Right, the guys obviously either a genius or bordering on a genius a man with such a brilliant mind that he can solve a maths problem that over a 100 other maths genius's of the world haven't been able to solve for some 37 years, a man who worked as a night watchman. THAT is what I meant by wasted mind, the fact that this guys obviously brilliant mind hasn't been acknowledged up until now.

My whole point about his wasted mind was exactly what you said, he used to be a mathematician but:

Like many immigrants in the wave that followed the breakup of the former Soviet Union, he struggled to find work in the Jewish state and was forced into stints working maintenance and security before landing a teaching position at Bar Ilan in 1995.

He's a guy who's a genius who couldn't find any work except for manual jobs that didn't make use of his mind.

His mind has been wasted in that he has not had the chance and/or the confidence, "He is shy reserved and very modest.", to make full use of his obviously brilliant mind.

I just can't help thinking what a guy like this, given the right circumstances, could have achieved in his life.

And yes, I read the article and found it fascinating or I wouldn't have submitted it

I think I'll leave judgement of said "wasted mind" up to Mr Trakhtman, and his family and friends.


ktksbai

He has a teaching position at a major university.

Yes, he worked a maintenance job as an immigrant learning the language. So what?

If you move somewhere and don't know the language, you can't get a job you're qualified for.

He has been teaching since 1995, which is over a decade.

Good Will Hunting.

He really probably is a genius. This line from the article says it all for me:

So many people overthink things.

I wasn't saying it as a put-down to Mr. Trakhtman, I was commenting that it's a shame he hasn't had the opportunity to full realize his potential.

dupe:

Thank you for being one person who really read the article.

Calling him a night watchman is nuts. Even noting that he was a former night watchman is stupid and has no meaning.

I'm struggling to word what I was trying to say by wasted mind.

Professor Margolis said that the discovery was all the more remarkable given Professor Trakhtman's age and background. "The first time I met him he was wearing a night watchman's uniform," he said.

I guess what I was trying to say was that yes, the fact he was a night watchman is largely irrelevant, but as the quote above says, it does make the story more remarkable. I was just getting at the fact that it's taken so long and so late in his life for him to get recognized as a brilliant mind.

Nothing against you, you didn't write the story or the headline.

He was a mathematician, he came to america, had to find what work he could until he could meet the criteria for teaching in America and find a job. He has been working as a teacher for more than 10 years.

That is hardly uncommon. It isn't remarkable that he had a non-teaching job when he moved here. I don't know what you do for a living but if it is a licensed profession, especially one with limited positions available it may take you a while to be able to even be eligible for employment in your field let alone find employment if you moved to a non-english speaking country.

He worked in a field other than math for a whopping 3 years. That is it. Nothing in the least bit odd, unusual or a shame about that.

If he was never able to gain employment than it might be remarkable. That isn't the case here.

The reason it "took so long and late in his life for him to be recognized as a brilliant mind" because that is when he did something outstanding and worthy of recognition. It isn't like he figured it out 10 years ago and couldn't get anyone to listen.

For the record, I don't think he ever came to America.

He teaches at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat-Gan, Israel.

He was born in the Former Soviet Union, and is also Jewish.

Like many important mathemical discoveries throughout history, this was made by a Jewish mathematician of Russian origin.

As pointed out by 2manyusernames, he was an accomplished mathematician in Russia. He only spent 3 years as a new immigrant working odd jobs before he was taken into a teaching job.

I suppose it takes about 3 years to become proficient in Hebrew at the age of nearly 50 years old.

You can't teach at an Israeli university unless you're fluent in Hebrew.

Looks like you didn't read the article so good either 2many. Shame on you :p