Abraham Wald was a Hungarian-born mathematician known for his contributions to statistics and decision theory. He is best recognized for his work during World War II, where he applied statistical methods to improve military strategies and operations. His innovative ideas helped optimize the allocation of resources and enhance the effectiveness of wartime efforts. One of Wald's most famous contributions is the concept of survivorship bias, which he illustrated through his analysis of damaged aircraft. He advised that instead of reinforcing the areas of planes that showed damage, attention should be given to the undamaged sections, as those were likely the critical areas that led to aircraft losses.