Menu

math

u5151624284_Impressionistic_image_of_mathematics_and_card_mag_20feee5f-b073-4422-995f-968b2045a3d0_2

Math and Magic – Dec 2

/ , , , / , , , , , /

Startling magic sometimes relies on deep mathematical principles. However, if the magician is doing her job, those principles should not be apparent to the spectator … unless the magician is a math professor giving a Wonderfest presentation! Combining the mathematics of playing cards with sleight of hand can: (1) allow even more powerful magic to arise, (2) raise some intriguing mathematical questions, and (3) illuminate the creative process that leads to original card magic.
 
Our Wonderfest speaker is Dr. Tori Noquez, Asst. Professor of Mathematics and of Computer Science at Saint Mary’s College of California. Tori is a regular performer at Hollywood’s famous Magic Castle, and she has been featured on Penn & Teller: Fool us.

Dr. Tori Noquez

WHAT: Mathematics and Card Magic
WHO: Dr. Tori Noquez, Asst. Professor of Mathematics & Computer Science, Saint Mary's College of California [https://www.torinoquez.com]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, December 2 — 7:00pm (1.5 hr)
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
Help share the scientific outlook - donate!
CurvedSpaces

Curved Spaces – Oct 25

/ , , / , , , , , /

The geometry of the ancient Greeks took place on an ideal, infinite, flat plane. In the millenia since then, mathematicians have opened our minds to the more general and flexible geometries of curved spaces — from the fabric that makes up our clothing, to the spacetime around a black hole. Now, we can develop an ‘insider’s view’ of such geometries. This newfound intuition has intriguing applications, including to recent images from the James Webb Space Telescope! Such understanding allows us to better appreciate Einstein’s greatest insight: that gravity is not a force, but rather a consequence of living in a curvy world.

Our speaker, Dr. Steve Trettel, is Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of San Francisco. He is a geometric topologist who loves computer graphics and a good bike ride.

PLEASE REGISTER BELOW

 


Dr. Steve Trettel

WHAT: Curved Spaces — Geometry from the Inside
WHO: Dr. Steve Trettel, Asst. Professor of Mathematics, University of San Francisco [https://stevejtrettel.site]
WHERE: Castro Valley Library, 3600 Norbridge Ave, Castro Valley, CA 94546
WHEN: 2023-10-25 — 7pm, Wednesday, Oct 25 (1.5 hour)
COLLABORATORS:
Castro Valley Education Foundation [https://www.cvef.org]
Castro Valley Science [https://cvscience.us]
Poincaré

Poincaré Beauty – Sep 24

/ , , / , , , , , , /

At the turn of the new millennium, a renowned mathematics institute pledged $7 million for the solution of seven special math problems, $1 million each. Only one of these seven Millennium Prize Problems has been solved. That problem, originally posed over a century ago by Henri Poincaré, asked a deep question about the nature of 3-dimensional space. Its resolution opened our (mathematical) eyes to the beauty of 3-dimensional universes — filled with curved geometries, wormholes, and a whole lot of pretty math. This presentation, assuming only a high school math background, will explore the beauty of these spacey ideas in mathematical topology.

Our speaker, Dr. Steve Trettel, is Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of San Francisco. He is a geometric topologist who loves computer graphics and a good bike ride.

 


Dr. Steve Trettel

WHAT: Beauty of the Poincaré Conjecture
WHO: Dr. Steve Trettel, Asst. Professor of Mathematics, University of San Francisco [https://stevejtrettel.site]
WHERE: San Francisco Public Library (Latino/Hisp. Rooms), 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco [https://sfpl.org/locations/main-library]
WHEN: 2023-09-24 — 3pm, Sunday, Sep 24 (1.5 hour)
COLLABORATORS:
San Francisco Public Library
HOW:

This free event is produced by Wonderfest and by the SF Public Library. In the Eventbrite space below, please consider a donation to help nonprofit Wonderfest in its mission of science outreach.

Counting from Infinity

Counting From Infinity: A Special Film Screening with Keith Devlin, Aug 18

/ , , / , , /

 Counting from Infinity

This is a ticketed event.  Please purchase tickets here: http://bit.ly/1CXXEJ1

In April 2013, a little-known lecturer—working in isolation—proved something that rocked the mathematical world. Yitang Zhang’s insight into one of the great challenges of number theory, the Twin Prime Conjecture, is beautifully portrayed in the new film Counting From Infinity. Please join us for a special screening of the film with commentary by Stanford mathematician Keith Devlin, NPR’s “Math Guy.”

This is a ticketed event.  Please purchase tickets here: http://bit.ly/1CXXEJ1

 Image Credit: Nautilus http://bit.ly/1I1Sh8d

——————————–

Wonderfest works every day to promote the scientific outlook. For as little as $1/month, why not become a Wonderfest Patron? As the Medici family were patrons of popular art in old Italy, you can become a patron of popular science and rationality in the modern Bay Area. (And you’ll get that tax-deduction that the Medici never did!) Please become a regular supporter of Wonderfest, and help enlarge the concept of scientific community.

Become a Wonderfest Patron: http://www.patreon.com/wonderfest
Make a one time donation: http://wonderfest.org/donate

If you shop at Amazon.com, why not shop at AmazonSmile? It doesn’t cost you a dime extra, selection and prices are the same, and a small percent supports Wonderfest and science!  
http://amazon.wonderfest.org.

Watch more videos: http://videos.wonderfest.org

Join us on:
http://facebook.com/wonderfest
http://twitter.com/wonderfest