S. S. Chern, or Shiing-Shen Chern, was a prominent Chinese-American mathematician known for his significant contributions to differential geometry and topology. Born on October 4, 1913, in Hangzhou, China, he made groundbreaking advancements in the study of Chern classes, which are fundamental in understanding the geometry of vector bundles. Chern's work extended to various fields, including mathematical physics and complex geometry. He held prestigious positions at several universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, and was a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Chern passed away on December 6, 2004, leaving a lasting legacy in mathematics.