Finding Your Inner Genius
Do you want to find your inner genius? Oh, yes, there are ways. Michael Starbird, Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Texas, will visit Boise State to discuss "Inevitable Genius," Sept 15, 2011. This is a signature opportunity for BSU faculty and students to widen their creativity while focusing their imaginations.
Thursday, Sept. 15, 1:30-3:00pm, SUB Lookout Room
Inevitable Genius: Elements of Effective Thinking
Abstract: A wondrously romantic belief is that brilliant thinkers magically produce brilliant ideas: Einstein jostles his hair and relativity falls out. We can enjoy these fanciful visions of leaps of genius, but we should not be fooled into believing that they’re reality. Brilliant innovators are brilliant because they practice habits of thinking that inevitably carry them step by step to works of genius. No magic and no leaps are involved. Habits of effective thinking and creativity can be taught and learned. Anyone who practices them will inevitably create new insights, new ideas, and new solutions.
Thursday, Sept. 15, 4:00-5:00 pm, SUB Lookout Room
Geometric Gems: The Timeless Beauty of Mathematics
Abstract: Plain plane (and solid) geometry contains some of the most
beautiful proofs ever—-some dating from ancient times and some created
by living mathematicians. This talk will include some of my favorites
from an incredibly clever way to see that a plane intersects a cone in
an ellipse to a method for computing areas under challenging curves
developed by a living mathematician, Momikan Mnatsakanian and many more.
Geometry provides many treats!
Registration
Pre-register (optional but recommended) at ctl.boisestate.edu
Michael Starbird
Michael Starbird is a Distinguished Teaching Professor of Mathematics at The University of Texas at Austin. He has been at UT since 1974 except for leaves, including leaves to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. He has received more than a dozen teaching awards including the Mathematical Association of America’s 2007 national teaching award and most of the UT-wide teaching awards. He has produced Teaching Company DVD courses in the Great Courses Series on calculus, statistics, probability, geometry, and the joy of thinking. His books with co-author Edward Burger include the textbook "The Heart of Mathematics: An invitation to effective thinking" and the general audience book "Coincidences, Chaos, and All That Math Jazz: Making Light of Weighty Ideas."