Buckminster Fuller was a 20th century American architect, inventor, designer, systems theorist, futurist, and author. He created the geodesic dome, the only practical kind of building with no limiting dimensions. Throughout his life, he didn’t limit himself to one field of work but served as a comprehensive design scientist working on various global issues. Fuller descended from a long line of nonconformists, the most popular among them being his grand-aunt and cofounder of The Dial, Margaret Fuller, who was also a women's rights advocate. Fuller spent most of his early life on Bear Island in Penobscot Bay. As a school boy, he formalized his own concepts of geometry. By the age of 12, he had created a 'push pull' device for propelling a rowboat. During his time at Harvard College, he was expelled twice for being an irresponsible and carefree student. Between his sessions at the college, Fuller served in the U.S. Navy in World War I and also did a handful of other jobs. In 1917, he married Anne Hewlett, the daughter of popular architect James Monroe Hewlett. From 1974 to 1983, he served as the second World President of Mensa. Just 11 days before his 88th birthday, the great architect cum inventor died. His wife of 66 years, who suffered from cancer, passed away 36 hours later.