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Arthur Benjamin

MAA Names Arthur Benjamin - Mathematical Wizard, Writer, and Editor - A Pólya Lecturer

By Harry Waldman

George Pólya, renowned teacher and writer, embodied the high quality of exposition that the MAA seeks to encourage. To further this goal, the MAA created a George Pólya Lectureship in 1991. This year's Pólya Lecturer-the 16th such named-is Arthur Benjamin.

Each Section of the MAA is entitled to a Pólya Lecture for a Section meeting approximately once every five years.


Arthur Benjamin, 45, earned his B.S. in Applied Mathematics from Carnegie Mellon and his Ph.D. in Mathematical Sciences from Johns Hopkins. Since 1989, he has taught at Harvey Mudd College, where he is Professor of Mathematics and past Chair. In 2000, he received the MAA's Haimo Award for Distinguished Teaching.

Benjamin's research interests include game theory and combinatorics, with a special fondness for Fibonacci numbers. Many of these ideas appear in his book (co-authored with Jennifer Quinn), Proofs That Really Count: The Art of Combinatorial Proof, which the MAA published. In 2006, Benjamin's book received the MAA's Beckenbach Book Prize.

id: 
4108
News Date: 
Friday, December 1, 2006