Arthur T. Benjamin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Arthur Benjamin, Mathemagician.
Arthur Benjamin, Mathemagician.

Professor Arthur T. Benjamin is an American mathematician who specializes in combinatorics. Since 1989 he has taught at Harvey Mudd College.

He is known for mental math capabilities and mathemagics performances. These have included shows at the Magic Castle.[1]

He has a B.S. from Carnegie Mellon University (1983) and a PhD from Johns Hopkins University (1989); his PhD dissertation was titled "Turnpike Structures for Optimal Maneuvers". During his freshman year at CMU he wrote the lyrics and created the magic effects for the musical comedy, Kije!, in collaboration with author Scott McGregor and composer Arthur Darrell Turner. This musical was the winner of an annual competition and was first performed as the CMU's Spring Musical in 1980.[2]

The Mathematical Association of America gave him a regional award for distinguished teaching in 1999 and a national one in 2000. He was the Mathematical Association of America's George Polya Lecturer for 2006-8.

He also filmed a series of Teaching Company lectures called "The Joy of Mathematics".[3]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Mathemagics: Dr. Benjamin's Recent Performances. Retrieved on 2008-03-15.
  2. ^ Kije! A Musical Fairy Tale. Retrieved on 2008-03-15.
  3. ^ Joy of Mathematics. The Teaching Company. Retrieved on 2008-03-15.

[edit] References

  • The Economist, June 16th 2007, p.97

[edit] External links