Events
Special Event: Mathematics for Human Flourishing |
| Time: Apr 21, 2023 (04:00 PM) |
| Location: 101 SCA |
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Details:  Speaker: Dr. Francis Su
Title: Mathematics for Human Flourishing
Abstract: Math is more than just a way to describe the world, and it is more than just a set of skills, like doing arithmetic or factoring a quadratic. Math is a deeply human enterprise that fulfills basic human longings, and when properly engaged, it builds virtues like persistence, creativity, and a competence to solve problems you've never seen before. Reframing math in this way---around virtues---offers a way for people to see math as an intrinsic part of life, and to teach it in a more inclusive way. An incarcerated man---now my friend---has helped me see this more clearly than ever before.
Bio: Dr. Francis Su is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and a Past President of the Mathematical Association of America. In 2013, he received the Haimo Award, a nationwide teaching prize for college math faculty, and in 2018 he won the Halmos-Ford writing award. His research in geometric combinatorics includes many papers co-authored with undergraduates. His work has been featured in Quanta Magazine, Wired, and the New York Times. His book Mathematics for Human Flourishing (2020), winner of the 2021 Euler Book Prize, offers an inclusive vision of what math is, who it's for, and why anyone should learn it. For more click here |