Alan Turing

According to biographer Andrew Hodges, Alan Turing (born born 23 June 1912) was a “Founder of computer science, mathematician, philosopher, code breaker, strange visionary and a gay man before his time”.  Mr. Turing studied mathematics at Cambridge University where he concluded that automatic computation could solve all mathematical problems. Turing believed that "a single machine that can be used to compute any computable sequence". This finding is the basis for the modern theory of computation and clearly depicts why he was so important in the development of the first computer.    When war broke out, he worked at deciphering messages encrypted by a German Enigma machine which provided valuable information for the allies.  He also worked on a team which developed a machine which could decode these German wartime messages.  Unfortunately, Turing's was not involved in building the world's first working electronic stored-program digital computer.  Sadly, in March 1952 he was prosecuted for his homosexuality and eventually committed suicide.