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April 10, 2007, 7:30pm
Physics Building 203 University of Virginia
A tale of adventure on the high seas
involving great risk to the tale teller, and how an understanding of mathematical theory of knots saved his bacon. No nautical or mathematical background assumed. |
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Colin Adams is the Thomas T. Read Professor of Mathematics at Williams College. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1983. Professor Adams is particularly interested in the mathematical theory of knots; their applications and their connections with hyperbolic geometry. He is the author of The Knot Book, an elementary introduction to the mathematical theory of knots, co-author of the humorous supplements, How to Ace Calculus: The Streetwise Guide and How to Ace the Rest of Calculus: The Streetwise Guide, and is author of Why Knot?, the mathematical comic book with attached toy. Having written a variety of research articles on knot theory and hyperbolic 3-manifolds, his research is supported by the National Science Foundation. He is also known for giving mathematical lectures in the guise of Mel Slugbate, a sleazy real estate agent from Texas. He is a recipient of the National Distinguished Teaching Award from the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) in 1998, an MAA Polya Lecturer for 1998-2000, a Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer for 2000-2002, and the recipient of the Robert Foster Cherry Teaching Award in 2003. He is also the humor columnist for the Mathematical Intelligencer.
Admission is free.
Those attending the talk can park near the UVa football stadium and walk through the
Engineering School to get to the Physics building, which is on McCormick Road. Physics is building #41 on the map at:
http://www.virginia.edu/webmap/GMcCormickRoadArea.html
Sponsored by: Institute of Mathematical Science (theims @virginia.edu)
If you would like to be informed about future talks for a general audience
sponsored by the IMS, please email: theims@virginia.edu