YaleUniversity
Published on May 1, 2019

Calculus is one of the most imaginative and consequential triumphs of human creativity. In this talk, famed mathematician Steven Strogatz will investigate its origins and then show how it, in partnership with medicine, philosophy, science, and technology, reshaped the course of civilization and helped make the world modern. The Franke Program in Science and the Humanities is a new initiative at Yale that aims to foster communication, mutual understanding, collaborative research and teaching among diverse scientific and humanistic disciplines. It is made possible through the generosity of Richard (‘53) and Barbara Franke.

Steven Strogatz is an applied mathematician who works in the areas of nonlinear dynamics and complex systems, often on...

YaleUniversity
Published on May 1, 2019

Calculus is one of the most imaginative and consequential triumphs of human creativity. In this talk, famed mathematician Steven Strogatz will investigate its origins and then show how it, in partnership with medicine, philosophy, science, and technology, reshaped the course of civilization and helped make the world modern. The Franke Program in Science and the Humanities is a new initiative at Yale that aims to foster communication, mutual understanding, collaborative research and teaching among diverse scientific and humanistic disciplines. It is made possible through the generosity of Richard (‘53) and Barbara Franke.

Steven Strogatz is an applied mathematician who works in the areas of nonlinear dynamics and complex systems, often on topics inspired by the curiosities of everyday life. He loves finding math in places where you’d least expect it—and then using it to illuminate life’s mysteries, big and small. For example: Why is it so hard to fall asleep a few hours before your regular bedtime? When you start chatting with a stranger on a plane, why is it so common to find that you have a mutual acquaintance? What can twisting a rubber band teach us about our DNA? An award-winning researcher, teacher, and communicator, Strogatz enjoys sharing the beauty of math though his books, essays, public lectures, and radio and television appearances.