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  • #1

    High-profile mathematicians?

    Do any of you know any high-profile mathematicians? Or know how to contact one?

    I ask because my kiddo (who is 10 now) wants to be a "great mathematician" when he grows up, and I think it would be cool for him to get an encouragement letter from a high profile mathematician.

    I mean, I encourage him to pursue it, but I just think it would be cool if I could write to a mathematician (or maybe even someone who uses it heavily, like a theoretical physicist), and tell them about my kiddo, and request a letter of encouragement for my kiddo.
    Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.
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  • #2
    When I was in 9th grade (1965) my school counselor arranged a visit with Henry Eyring.
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    • #3
      Quoth dalesys View Post
      When I was in 9th grade (1965) my school counselor arranged a visit with Henry Eyring.
      I'd considered trying to contact Joseph B. Keller -- until I found out he was 91.

      I might still try.
      Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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      • #4
        Send off a letter to JPL explaining that your kid is interested in math and pursuing a career as a mathematician and ask if any mathematicians on staff would send encouragement and recommendations on courses to take as preparation.

        You might also try writing to Larry Niven (science fiction author). He has a degree in mathematics which he does actually use in his writing. He might be willing and/or be able to make time to provide some pointers and encouragement.
        Last edited by Kittish; 07-01-2015, 05:39 PM.
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        • #5
          Contact your local university. Most mathematicians work in relative obscurity, but any decent research university will likely have a professor or two who'd be willing to have a conversations with your kid. You might even find one willing to let the kid hang out with him/her for an afternoon. None of my professor friends are famous, so I can't be much help with getting you in contact with somebody with a recognizable name.
          At the conclusion of an Irish wedding, the priest said "Everybody please hug the person who has made your life worth living. The bartender was nearly crushed to death.

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          • #6
            Quoth Kittish View Post
            Send off a letter to JPL explaining that your kid is interested in math and pursuing a career as a mathematician and ask if any mathematicians on staff would send encouragement and recommendations on courses to take as preparation.

            You might also try writing to Larry Niven (science fiction author). He has a degree in mathematics which he does actually use in his writing. He might be willing and/or be able to make time to provide some pointers and encouragement.
            Hadn't considered either of those! Thanks!

            Quoth mathnerd View Post
            Contact your local university. Most mathematicians work in relative obscurity, but any decent research university will likely have a professor or two who'd be willing to have a conversations with your kid. You might even find one willing to let the kid hang out with him/her for an afternoon. None of my professor friends are famous, so I can't be much help with getting you in contact with somebody with a recognizable name.
            This is a good idea, too. There are several universities in my area. I may have to look into that.
            Last edited by EricKei; 07-01-2015, 11:50 PM. Reason: merged consecutive posts
            Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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            • #7
              Newp. Afraid the only math guy I know (a) lives halfway around the world and (b) is far from "high-profile" ~_~ On the other hand, he's one of those sorts of people who makes up and solves quadratic equations as a way to avoid boredom, rather than inspire it, as many people would...Last I checked, he was playing around with equations/arrays (or something) that are in the form of three-dimensional cubes because he thought it was a fun way to pass the time. o_O;>
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              • #8
                What about Tom Lehrer? I know he did a lot of comedy songs, but he was originally a mathematics professor prior to his singing career.

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                • #9
                  Thought of one -- Randall Munroe (sp?), the guy who does XKCD, is a mathy person. Maybe try and contact him via his website. He may know who to get in touch with to find the sorts of folks you're looking for, or organizations that do.
                  "For a musician, the SNES sound engine is like using Crayola Crayons. Nobuo Uematsu used Crayola Crayons to paint the Sistine Chapel." - Jeremy Jahns (re: "Dancing Mad")
                  "The difference between an amateur and a master is that the master has failed way more times." - JoCat
                  "Thinking is difficult, therefore let the herd pronounce judgment!" ~ Carl Jung
                  "There's burning bridges, and then there's the lake just to fill it with gasoline." - Wiccy, reddit
                  "Retail is a cruel master, and could very well be the most educational time of many people's lives, in its own twisted way." - me
                  "Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down...tell you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens...makes her a home." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds, "Serenity" (2005)
                  Acts of Gord – Read it, Learn it, Love it!
                  "Our psychic powers only work if the customer has a mind to read." - me

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                  • #10
                    Nash's work on game theory has been pretty influential in economics even though he was a mathematician. You can show kiddo that mathematics has importance in lots of fields.
                    How was I supposed to know someone was slipping you Birth Control in the food I've been making for you lately?

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                    • #11
                      http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2...T-p0001-ST.jpg

                      Seriously, though, the only one I can think of would be Richard Garfield, the guy who designed the same "Magic: The Gathering".
                      "Kamala the Ugandan Giant" 1950-2020 • "Bullet" Bob Armstrong 1939-2020 • "Road Warrior Animal" 1960-2020 • "Zeus" Tiny Lister Jr. 1958-2020 • "Hacksaw" Butch Reed 1954-2021 • "New Jack" Jerome Young 1963-2021 • "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff 1949-2021 • "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton 1958-2021 • Daffney 1975-2021

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                      • #12
                        Set your sights high-if you're prepared to consider him a mathematician,there's Stephen Hawking
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                        • #13
                          Danica McKellar is one to check out:
                          http://www.danicamckellar.com/blog/i...gory=Math-More
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                          • #14
                            Godel, Escher Bach

                            FANTASTIC math book by Douglas Hofstadter.

                            He's still around, but his wikipedia page doesn't easily say which university he's teaching at (assuming he's still teaching). Probably could be researchable, though.
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                            3. Deal with the situation you have now, however it occurred.
                            4. Accept the consequences of your decisions.

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                            • #15
                              Quoth Seshat View Post
                              Godel, Escher Bach

                              FANTASTIC math book by Douglas Hofstadter.

                              He's still around, but his wikipedia page doesn't easily say which university he's teaching at (assuming he's still teaching). Probably could be researchable, though.
                              I actually have that book here at my house. I started reading it several years back. Never did finish. I found the idea compelling, I just couldn't read more than a few pages at a time...
                              Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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