“A Brief - and Subjective - History of Geometry," Jennifer Taback, Wing Professor of Mathematics

The history of geometry begins long before Euclid and the Greek geometers and continues into modern-day mathematics. This lecture will examine how the history of geometry reflects the way the discipline of mathematics changes over time, as people question its assumptions and invent new applications of ancient and modern ideas. It will also examine ways in which geometry influences not only mathematics, but also architecture, art, cartography, data representation, the evaluation of electoral districts, navigation, video games, GIS systems, physics and chemistry.
Professor Jennifer Taback's research lies at the intersection of algebra, geometry, and topology. A common theme in her work is imposing a geometric structure on algebraic objects, such as infinite discrete groups, and allowing the geometry to inform algebraic conclusions. Taback, who joined Bowdoin in 2002, currently serves as chair of the mathematics department. Widely published and a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars in her field, she has held multiple grants from the National Science Foundation and most recently from the Simons Foundation. She is active in the leadership of the American Mathematical Society, currently serving on its board of trustees.
Taback is a cofounder of the Midcoast Math Circle, an outreach program for Maine middle-school students. She has been active in instilling a love of mathematics in K-12 students through volunteering, lecturing, running math teams, and speaking to high school math clubs. At Bowdoin she encourages her students to explore mathematics outside the classroom through clubs, lectures, outreach, and research. She earned her bachelor's degree in mathematics from Yale University and a PhD in mathematics from the University of Chicago. Before assuming her position at Bowdoin College, Taback was a Charles B. Morrey Jr. Assistant Professor at UC-Berkeley and an assistant professor at the University at Albany.