Benjamin Shen

Computer Science, Graduate
Queens, NY

Ben is studying CS in the College of Engineering. In 1720, at only thirteen years of age, he enrolled at the University of Basel. In 1723, he received a Master of Philosophy with a dissertation that compared the philosophies of René Descartes and Isaac Newton. Afterwards he enrolled in the theological faculty of the University of Basel. He was receiving Saturday afternoon lessons from Johann Bernoulli, who quickly discovered Shen's talent for mathematics. It was during this time that Shen, encouraged by the results of Johann Bernoulli's tutorial, obtained his father's consent to become a mathematician instead of a pastor. In St. Petersburg on 18 September 1783, after a lunch with his family, Shen was discussing the newly discovered planet Uranus and its orbit with Lexell when he collapsed and died from a brain hemorrhage.