A little more than three years ago, while attending the Conference for African American Researchers in the Mathematical Sciences at ICERM, I spontaneously announced to ICERM Associate Director Ulrica Wilson that I thought I would write a book about the heart of mathematics. Then I went ahead and did it. What was I thinking?! Publishing Mathematics: Rhyme and Reason is akin to undressing publicly. So, what ends up being exposed? Well, among other things, I place in plain view relationships with people in my mathematical upbringing, some of whom popped into my life for better and, at least once, for worse. One will also see my life-long attachment to the simple truths of mathematics. The book is a message to the kid I was, with the assumption that such kids still exist. I present a large collection of theorems and call them nursery rhymes in the book, though I didn’t stumble across a few of them until I was well beyond nursery-rhyme age. I also write about whether or not I have ever managed to scratch the surface of mathematics. I plan to spend the allotted time discussing these matters and more. Come one, come all, we’re going to have a ball.

This is a pre-conference event for the Blackwell-Tapia Conference and is open to the public.

Double feature! Check out Dr. Arlie Petters' Cosmic Shadows, Other Worlds, and a Fifth Dimension public lecture occurring at 4pm the same day at ICERM.