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The World of Mathematics 2006:
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| VENUE: | The Age Theatre, Melbourne Museum Carlton Gardens, Carlton, Melbourne Melway reference: 2B J10 |
| DATE: | Saturday, 9 December 2006 |
| TIME: | 2:30pm to 3:30pm |
| COST: | Free. Note: teachers and students attending the public lectures can also visit the rest of the museum free-of-charge |
Bill Casselman has an undergraduate B. A. Harvard College, 1963 and a Ph.D. in mathematics from Princeton, 1966. He specialises in the field of mathematical research: automorphic forms and combinatorial computing. Since 1971, he has been on the faculty of the University of British Columbia. He was a visitor in recent years to the University of Sydney, the University of New South Wales, and the Tata Institute in Mumbai, India. He has also been a speaker at the Euclid Conference held in October, 2005 at Oxford University. Since January 2001, he has been Graphics Editor of the NOTICES (http://www.ams.org/notices/) of the American Mathematical Society. Bill is also the author of the book Mathematical Illustrations, Cambridge University Press, 2004.
How many mathematicians does it take to change a
light bulb?
God is about Faith. Unfortunately, not all religiously inclined people have sufficient faith in Faith. There then follows the quest for the proof of God's existence; and, usually, science and mathematics enter the picture in the most absurd manner.About the Lecturers:
Drs Burkard Polster and Marty Ross entertain and educate budding and experienced mathematicians alike with their exciting brand of fun, information and, above all, ideas.
"These really are world class public lectures. And to make them work for such a diverse audience is a splendid achievement."
Dr Max Stephens, MAV Life Member.
Burkard Polster received his PhD in Pure Mathematics from the University of Erlangen in Germany in 1993, studied and worked at eight universities in Germany, America, New Zealand and Australia and specializes in “fun” mathematics. He is the author of numerous research articles and books, such as “The mathematics of Juggling” and “Q.E.D: Beauty in Mathematical Proof”. Currently, Burkard is a Senior Logan Research Fellow, and Monash University's resident mathematical juggler, origami expert, bubble-master, shoelace charmer, and Count Count impersonator. When he is not doing fun mathematics he has fun investigating perfect mathematical universes.
Marty Ross is a mathematical nomad. Despite affecting an American accent, he grew up in Melbourne, completing his HSC at Macleod High School. He then went to ANU and then on Stanford University (where he completed a PhD on the mathematics of soap films). Marty has been a lecturer at Melbourne, Monash and La Trobe Universities and has won teaching awards at Stanford and Rice Universities. His research is in geometric analysis (the use of geometry to study naturally occurring phenomena). Marty has a passionate interest in the teaching of mathematics; he has no formal teaching qualifications, but he hides his ignorance with humour and a loud disdain for jargon..
Read what Burkard and Marty lectured about in 2005 and 2004.
For details of MAV's professional development activities, please go to http://www.mav.vic.edu.au/activities/.
For further information contact: Simon Pryor