# Who are the best scientists and engineers who became politicians?

> A handful of analytical minds have crossed from laboratories and engineering blueprints into the messy arena of governance — sometimes reshaping history in the process. Where do you stand?

*By YPB Team · Published April 10, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/who-are-the-best-scientists-and-engineers-who-became-politicians*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Angela Merkel**
   German quantum chemist who served as Chancellor of Germany for 16 years, becoming one of the most powerful leaders in modern history.
2. **Margaret Thatcher**
   Trained research chemist who became the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, serving from 1979 to 1990.
3. **Jimmy Carter**
   Nuclear engineer and U.S. Navy officer who became the 39th President of the United States and later won the Nobel Peace Prize.
4. **Herbert Hoover**
   Stanford-educated mining engineer who became the 31st President of the United States after organizing post-WWI humanitarian relief.
5. **Claudia Sheinbaum**
   Environmental engineer and climate scientist who became the first female President of Mexico in 2024.
6. **Benjamin Franklin**
   Pioneering scientist and inventor of the lightning rod who was a Founding Father of the United States and key diplomat to France.
7. **François Arago**
   French astronomer and physicist who served in the French National Assembly and briefly headed the French government in 1848.
8. **Rajiv Gandhi**
   Trained pilot and technology advocate who became Prime Minister of India and spearheaded the country's computerization drive.
9. **Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala**
   Development economist and World Bank veteran who served twice as Finance Minister of Nigeria and became WTO Director-General.
10. **Al Gore**
   Former U.S. Vice President who championed climate science and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his environmental advocacy work.
11. **Wernher von Braun**
   Rocket engineer who developed the V-2 rocket and later led NASA's Saturn V program, navigating the politics of two nations.
12. **Václav Klaus**
   Economist and politician who served as the second President of the Czech Republic from 2003 to 2013.

Tags: historical-figures, science, politics