Cahit Arf

Turkish mathematician who solved centuries-old knot theory problem

Dr. Cahit Arf (1910–1997) transformed abstract mathematics through his seminal work on algebraic invariants. The Arf invariant in topology remains crucial for understanding 3D surfaces and quantum computing today.

Educated at École Normale Supérieure, Arf rejected European job offers to establish Turkey's first mathematics institute. His Arf Rings theory (1945) solved classification problems dating to Carl Friedrich Gauss, as detailed in this 1941 paper.

Beyond academia, he redesigned Turkey's railway network using game theory models. The Cahit Arf Lectureship, awarded annually by Turkish Mathematical Society, continues his mission to make mathematics accessible.