In the '80s, I was nicknamed “Deewaar”, after a Bollywood actor. Recently, a colleague scientist from India supported this nickname, yet without revealing why.
Find the zero similarities in the above movie between me and the main actor.
In 1989, American students in Germany nicknamed me “Mister Autobahn”, most probably because they thought my mathematics classes went as fast as the German Autobahn, and because of the aspect of danger (lots of students fail for math). In addition, being Dutch speaking, I guess have a German accent.
After the final exam, students wore this badge...
In 1991 the journal "Le Vif/L'Express" nicknamed me "Homme de pi" - due to a poster I made about pi=3.14...
In Burundi I was nicknamed "hawaogopi" - but that was long ago.
Some people identify me as the "Ishango bone man".
Today people compare me to Robin Williams, as I am told to have a comparable hyperactivity.
A drawing made during my class of Thursday Dec 1 2011, by a student, caught by a colleague: "Su-pi-man". Extra credit for this anonymous student!