Persi Diaconis
Mathematician
Professor of mathematics and part-time magician who takes a scientific approach to the art. He is known for investigating mathematical problems involving randomization with coin flipping.
He supported himself in his youth by cheating at cards aboard ships.
Through rigorous mathematical analysis he showed only seven shuffles are needed to truly randomize a deck of cards.
His wife Susan Holmes is a Stanford professor.
Martin Gardner mentioned him in his autobiography.