Charles Proteus Steinmetz
![](/Images/godic/202501/04/Charlesproteussteinmetz2636.jpg")
![Steinmetz maintained a small cabin overlooking the Mohawk River near Schenectady, New York.](/Images/godic/202501/04/Steinmetz_Cabin2636.jpg")
![Steinmetz circa 1915](/Images/godic/202501/04/Charles_Proteus_Steinmetz2636.jpg")
![Marconi Wireless Station in Somerset, New Jersey in 1921, on the day Albert Einstein was given a tour. Steinmetz is at center; he died two years later.](/Images/godic/202501/04/Albert_Einstein_with_other_engineers_and_scientists_at_Marconi_RCA_radio_station_19212636.jpg")
Charles Proteus Steinmetz (April 9, 1865 – October 26, 1923) was a Prussian-born American mathematician and electrical engineer and professor at Union College. He fostered the development of alternating current that made possible the expansion of the electric power industry in the United States, formulating mathematical theories for engineers. He made ground-breaking discoveries in the understanding of hysteresis that enabled engineers to design better electromagnetic apparatus equipment including especially electric motors for use in industry.