Comments on: A Man Out Standing In His Field http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/ Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:36:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Poincaré on Studio 60 - Asymptotia http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-27273 Poincaré on Studio 60 - Asymptotia Thu, 08 Feb 2007 07:26:01 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-27273 [...] Did anyone spot the Poincaré conjecture reference on Monday’s episode of Aaron Sorkin’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip? (Recall that I mentioned another science reference on this show in an earlier post.) A writer is trying to find a punchline to a joke. The joke is supposed to be in the style of the headline news on Saturday Night Live… [...] [...] Did anyone spot the Poincaré conjecture reference on Monday’s episode of Aaron Sorkin’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip? (Recall that I mentioned another science reference on this show in an earlier post.) A writer is trying to find a punchline to a joke. The joke is supposed to be in the style of the headline news on Saturday Night Live… [...]

]]> By: Poincaré In Our Time - Asymptotia http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-5235 Poincaré In Our Time - Asymptotia Mon, 20 Nov 2006 14:57:52 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-5235 [...] This piece also makes a nice complement to the posts I’ve done here on other aspects of the conjecture (see here and here, for example). [...] [...] This piece also makes a nice complement to the posts I’ve done here on other aspects of the conjecture (see here and here, for example). [...]

]]> By: The 2006 Nobel Prizes: Who, What and Why! - Asymptotia http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3880 The 2006 Nobel Prizes: Who, What and Why! - Asymptotia Fri, 10 Nov 2006 15:59:36 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3880 [...] Not long after the colloquium on the Fields Medal work, we had a joint presentation by three colloquium speakers on the topics of the three science prizes awarded from the good folks in Stockholm this year. This was another very popular Monday talk, with people from various other departments joining us, given the topics being discussed. The speakers talked about the science of the prizes, and also reflected upon how it drives or interfaces with future research, perhaps their own research program. [...] [...] Not long after the colloquium on the Fields Medal work, we had a joint presentation by three colloquium speakers on the topics of the three science prizes awarded from the good folks in Stockholm this year. This was another very popular Monday talk, with people from various other departments joining us, given the topics being discussed. The speakers talked about the science of the prizes, and also reflected upon how it drives or interfaces with future research, perhaps their own research program. [...]

]]> By: Amara http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3783 Amara Thu, 09 Nov 2006 16:29:21 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3783 Brad Holden: Why do you think that a big stick is not a decent pointer? Brad Holden: Why do you think that a big stick is not a decent pointer?

]]> By: Holmes http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3757 Holmes Thu, 09 Nov 2006 07:12:28 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3757 "I will try to convey why mathematicians cared about these problems, why physicists may be interested in their solution," What did he say about why physicists may be interested? “I will try to convey why mathematicians cared about these problems, why physicists may be interested in their solution,”

What did he say about why physicists may be interested?

]]> By: Brad Holden http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3752 Brad Holden Thu, 09 Nov 2006 06:25:04 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3752 What is it with a lack of decent pointers? Today's speaker at our institution had to use a random tree branch. He threatened a lawsuit if he got a splinter.... What is it with a lack of decent pointers? Today’s speaker at our institution had to use a random tree branch. He threatened a lawsuit if he got a splinter….

]]> By: TheGraduate http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3728 TheGraduate Wed, 08 Nov 2006 22:13:52 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3728 In a way talking about Dr. Tao also seems like a less extreme version of talking about Dr. Perelman. I have read almost zero coverage of Dr. Okounkov and Dr. Werner that wasn't just a generic summary of all the winners. In a sense, Dr. Perelman fits into one narrative that people are familiar with, the otherworldly genius; and as far as I can tell, Dr. Tao tends to be written about as the stereotype of the genius whiz kid for whom the sky is the limit. Of course, Dr. Tao is 30 or so and not a kid at all so perhaps this is why the media didn't pick up on this theme as much (though of course 30 is quite on the young side for a Fields medal I think). I wish I had seen that talk by the way! USC should start putting these things on the web. I already enjoy lecture sites at Princeton and MIT. http://www.princeton.edu/WebMedia/lectures/ http://mitworld.mit.edu/video_index.php In a way talking about Dr. Tao also seems like a less extreme version of talking about Dr. Perelman. I have read almost zero coverage of Dr. Okounkov and Dr. Werner that wasn’t just a generic summary of all the winners. In a sense, Dr. Perelman fits into one narrative that people are familiar with, the otherworldly genius; and as far as I can tell, Dr. Tao tends to be written about as the stereotype of the genius whiz kid for whom the sky is the limit. Of course, Dr. Tao is 30 or so and not a kid at all so perhaps this is why the media didn’t pick up on this theme as much (though of course 30 is quite on the young side for a Fields medal I think).

I wish I had seen that talk by the way! USC should start putting these things on the web. I already enjoy lecture sites at Princeton and MIT.

http://www.princeton.edu/WebMedia/lectures/

http://mitworld.mit.edu/video_index.php

]]> By: Clifford http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3721 Clifford Wed, 08 Nov 2006 21:07:59 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3721 Hey! Post on you coming up soon! -cvj Hey!

Post on you coming up soon!

-cvj

]]> By: Amara http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3720 Amara Wed, 08 Nov 2006 20:53:08 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/11/08/a-man-out-standing-in-his-field/#comment-3720 Hehe.. Full house! And he's using the sacred bamboo stick! :-) Maybe my own colloquium was straying too far afield of the core planetary field of interest. But at least now you can explain to your neighbors, students, family, people-on-the-street, that our human-planet-watery existence is not a trivial matter! Hehe.. Full house! And he’s using the sacred bamboo stick! :-)

Maybe my own colloquium was straying too far afield of the core planetary field of interest. But at least now you can explain to your neighbors, students, family, people-on-the-street, that our human-planet-watery existence is not a trivial matter!

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