Robert King Merton (July 4, 1910 – February 23, 2003) was an American
sociologist. He spent most of his career teaching at
Columbia University, where he attained the rank of University Professor. In 1994 Merton won the
National Medal of Science for his contributions to the field and for having founded the
sociology of science. He is considered to be one of the founding fathers of modern-day sociology.