Sandifer is an authority on Euler (1707-1783) and co-author of a two-volume biography, the first written in English, of the preeminent and prolific Swiss genius who is credited with discoveries in calculus, graph theory, mechanics, optics and astronomy.
The title of the Kieval Lecture is “The Story of the Euler Story” and Sandifer is scheduled to speak on Thurs., Sept. 27, at 8:00 p.m. in Natural Resources 101. He will give a mathematical talk prior to that, at 4:00 p.m. in Founders Hall Room 163, titled “A Tale of Two Gamma’s.”
Sandifer is an avid mathematics historian who earned his doctorate at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. He says his proven formula to inspire students is “Mathematics plus history equals appreciation.”
HSU Mathematics Professor Diane Johnson calls Sandifer “an internationally recognized expert on the mathematics of Leonhard Euler and an inspiring and accessible speaker. His presentation in honor of Euler’s 300th birthday is not to be missed.”
Sandifer writes a regular online column, “How Euler Did It,” on the Mathematical Association of America’s web site. He is one of the founders and officers of The Euler Society, which translates portions of the Swiss mathematician’s longer works.
An avid runner who has completed 31 Boston Marathons, Sandifer co-edited with Robert E. Bradley “Leonhard Euler: Life, Work and Legacy,” a collection of essays in honor of Euler’s tri-centennial.
Johnson said that although Euler has been famous among mathematicians and scientists since 1735, the reasons for his fame have changed and Sandifer will explore how “the favorite things about Euler” have altered across the centuries.
The Kieval Lecture is named after the late HSU Professor Emeritus Harry S. Kieval, who donated a gift of stock in 1987 to establish a substantial charitable trust that supports the Harry S. Kieval Lectures in Mathematics, bringing renowned visiting experts in the field to the Arcata campus.
A year after his retirement from HSU in 1979, he established the Harry S. Kieval Scholarship in Mathematics, which awards up to $2,000 in scholarships annually to outstanding math students.
For more information, contact Professor Diane Johnson at 707/826-4240.