Sir Michael Atiyah, one of the most influential mathematicians of the 20th century, will speak on “Beauty and Truth in Mathematics” at 5 p.m. May 11 in Room 201 of Crow Hall. The lecture, appropriate for a general audience, is free and open to the public.
The British scholar’s visit will provide a rare treat for the community, said Guido L. Weiss, Ph.D., the Elinor Anheuser Professor of Mathematics in Arts & Sciences.
“Michael Atiyah is one of the most important mathematicians working today, and we are very fortunate that he has included St. Louis in an upcoming Midwest visit,” Weiss said.
Among Atiyah’s gifts is the ability to explore the philosophical dimensions of mathematics, Weiss said.
“His talk will explain the beauty inherent in mathematics and why it is important, as well as examining the relation of beauty to truth,” Weiss said.
Atiyah’s career spans decades and covers a broad range within the field. He taught at Oxford and Cambridge universities and is associated with The University of Edinburgh.
His contributions are reflected in his numerous major awards, including the Abel Prize, the mathematics equivalent of the Nobel Prize, which he received in 2004 with colleague Isadore Singer of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Their discovery and proof of the index theorem had significant impact throughout the branches of mathematics — including topology, geometry and analysis — and provided new links between mathematics and theoretical physics. Atiyah also developed a branch of algebraic geometry called K-theory.
Atiyah was awarded the Fields Medal in 1966, was knighted in 1983 and received the Order of Merit in 1992.
For more information, call 935-6760.