Modern Math, Historical Roots, Future Findings with Prof. Matthew Simmons (2024 Last Lecture Series)

As part of 2024's Last Lecture Series, Prof. Matthew Simmons presented his talk "Modern Math, Historical Roots, Future Findings." Simmons, who teaches math at the Nassau Center, opens with a brief personal biography before immediately addressing the elephant in the room: that people almost always say they don't like math and that they never use it in real life. Simmons goes on to argue that math is all around us, that we use it more often than we think, and that in fact mathematical thinking is innate to humanity. To support his premise, he takes the audience on a whirlwind tour through mathematics in ancient Egypt and Babylon, the history of Pi, and why cutting across the grass to get where you're going in an example of the Pythagorean theorem at work.
This event was part of FSCJ's Last Lecture Series. In 1984, FSCJ’s Instructional Network inaugurated a series of lectures as part of their first Teaching Week, in which a professor recognized for their excellence in teaching was challenged to give the presentation they’d make if it was their last lecture on earth. In 2019 Student Life & Leadership, in partnership with the Library and Learning Commons, brought back the Last Lecture series, featuring professors chosen by student vote at each campus.
This event took place in the Nassau Center LLC on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
Speaker: Prof. Matthew Simmons
Event organized by: Student Life and Leadership & FSCJ's Library and Learning Commons
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