John Forbes Nash was an American mathematician known for his contributions to game theory and differential geometry. His concept of Nash equilibrium, proposed in the 1950s, has had a profound impact on economics, political science, and computer science. Nash earned his Ph.D. from Princeton University in 1948 and taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His personal life was marked by significant challenges, including a long-term severe mental illness. Despite this, he was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1994 for his exceptional mathematical achievements.