George E. Andrews Evan Pugh Professor of Mathematics, The Pennsylvania State University
George Andrews will describe the brief life of Srinivasa Ramanujan, the self-taught Indian mathematical genius whose legacy includes many formulas that were new and surprising and that took many years for others to prove. Andrews will use elementary arithmetic to illustrate Ramanujan's mathematical work. He will also discuss the philosophical issue of whether mathematical truth transcends culture, incorporating ideas of the late Edward Shils who illustrated Ramanujan's work to support the notion of the universal validity of science.
Hosted by: Department of Mathematics
In conjunction with: Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Department of Computer Science, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Department of Physics, Spurlock Museum
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 4:00 pm Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum
