Steven Vajda - Career in The United Kingdom

Career in The United Kingdom

Meanwhile, mathematicians were in demand to staff the newly formed military operational research groups. H. Seal who was with the Admiralty O.R. group, had read Steven’s research publications in the Bulletin des actuaires suisses, and when he found that Steven was in England he sought him out and proposed that he join the war effort. This was not an easy hire, because Steven was still classed as an enemy alien, but Seal would not be denied and after much bureaucratic manoeuvring, Steven joined the Royal Naval Scientific Service of the British Admiralty. When the war ended, Seal saw to it that Steven was one of the first “aliens” to be given British citizenship. Steven stayed with the Admiralty until 1964, holding such appointments as Assistant Director of Operational Research and Head of the Mathematical Group. In 1964, he “retired” for the first time.

In 1964, Steven became Professor of Operational Research at the University of Birmingham, where, along with K.B. Haley and others, he contributed his great strengths to the development of programs of study and research. He frequently invited well known colleagues such as Martin Beale and Frank Harary to speak to the staff and graduate students. He participated in various NATO-sponsored scientific summer schools as both a lecturer and an advisor. Upon his second “retirement” in 1967 he continued at Birmingham in a research appointment in mathematical statistics, working with Henry DanielsThe Guardian, David Wishart and Vic Barnett. He stayed until 1973, when, at the behest of Professor Pat Rivett, he once again “retired” in order to become Visiting Professor of Mathematics at Sussex University. With colleagues such as H. Paul Williams, he lectured, supervised research and tutored students, wrote and attended seminars and conferences. He was sought after not only as a speaker at mathematics conferences but also as a simultaneous translator, because of his linguistic abilities and his understanding of the subject matter. He remained an active member of the Sussex staff until he died in 1995 in Brighton.