Dr. Edmund O. Harriss
Speaker: Dr. Edmund O. Harriss, University of Arkansas | Department of Mathematical Sciences
Date: Wednesday, November 15, 2023, 4:00 – 5:00 PM
Location: Science Engineering Hall (SCEN 408)
Title: Creating applications through mathematical art and illustration
Abstract: The sculpture in the courtyard of Gearhart hall was made possible by a combination of metalworking skill combined (primarily provided by Emily Baker) combined with mathematical ideas. The ideas used to create that sculpture have since been used in other sculptural works and in the production of formwork for optimised concrete beams in engineering. The challenge of creating artworks and illustrating mathematical ideas through images and physical models can often lead to new bridges between mathematical ideas and physical structure and processes, especially when combined with digital manufacturing tools, such as CNC routers and 3d printers. In this talk I will consider the process of considering abstractions of materials and machines to reveal mathematical structure and create applications.
Bio: Edmund Harriss is a mathematician, artist, teacher and maker at the University of Arkansas. He completed a PhD at Imperial College in London, before postdocs and positions, settling in Arkansas in 2010. He has just started a joint appointment between mathematics and art, a position that seems to be the first of its kind. His research focuses on Illustration and unusual applications of mathematics from 2d crystals through tilings and algebraic numbers, to CNC machines and digital manufacturing. He has also published two colouring books of mathematical images, a counting book for the smallest of mathematicians and created Curvahedra a toy that helps to explore the geometry of surfaces and the Gauss Bonnet theorem.
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