André-Marie Ampère, Father of electromagnetism (1775-1836)

A devoted autodidact, André-Marie Ampère made his contribution to mathematics by integrating the field into physics. He became a professor of physics at École Centrale de l’Ain, produced the work Considerations on the Mathematical Theory of Games, and was appointed to a permanent post in mathematics and astronomy at the then recently created Lycée de Lyon. Following this, he worked as a tutor at l’X before holding the chair of mechanics, then joined the Geometry Section of the Academy of Sciences, and later taught physics at the Collège de France. One of the most well-known units of measurement is named after this father of electrodynamics, and also of electromagnetism, a branch of physics with many practical applications, including medical imaging.