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Vol. 4, No. 3 - February 16, 2005
| Scholar to Use Mathematical Approach on Social Issues
On Monday, Feb. 21, Farley will discuss "Breaking Al-Qaeda Cells: A Mathematical Method for Analyzing the Effectiveness of Counterterrorism Operations." The talk will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Emerson Auditorium of Palamountain Hall. Refreshments will be served prior to the lecture. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, Farley will give a lecture titled "Destiny's Child ("Soldier"): Deconstructing the Myth of Black America's Middle Class" in the Pohndorff Room (third floor) of Scribner Library. Admission to both events is free and open to the public. A renowned mathematician and political activist, Farley is the 2004 recipient of the Harvard Foundation's distinguished Scientist of the Year Award, a medal presented in recognition of "outstanding achievements and contributions in the field of mathematics." He graduated summa cum laude in 1991 from Harvard, and earned a doctorate in mathematics in 1995 at Oxford University, where he received the university's highest mathematics awards, the Senior Mathematical Prize and the Johnson University Prize. He is currently based in the mathematics department at Harvard. Farley's fields of interest are lattice theory and the theory of ordered sets. His recent mathematical accomplishments include the solution to a problem posed by an MIT professor that remained unsolved for 22 years, and a problem in "transversal theory" that remained unsolved for 33 years. Some of his previous mathematical accomplishments include the resolution of a conjecture posed by an MIT professor in 1975, and the solution to some problems in lattice theory that remained unsolved for 34 years. His work applying order theory to counterterrorism, which will be the topic of his Monday lecture at Skidmore, has been extensively covered in professional and general-interest media. Farley is chief scientist and co-founder of Phoenix Mathematical Systems Modeling, Inc., a company that develops mathematical approaches to homeland security issues, and co-founder of Hollywood Math and Science Film Consulting, which offers advice for movies that have a math or science element. Skidmore
Intercom |
Harvard University scholar Jonathan David Farley will visit the Skidmore campus next week for two speaking engagements, in which he considers mathematical solutions to pressing social issues. Co-sponsored by the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and the Multicultural Student Affairs office, his visit continues the College's observance of Black History Month.