LLL: The First Crisis of Mathematics

Coming Monday, April 26 at 7 p.m. via YouTube livestream

HERE IS THE LINK: https://youtu.be/ihO0-992M20

The First Crisis of Mathematics
By Dr. Kristen Abernathy
Winthrop University professor of Mathematics

Ancient Greek civilization prized rational thought and logic. In particular, the Pythagorean philosophers of ancient Greece believed that the universe itself was a manifestation of numbers and geometry and that every conceivable number could be written "rationally;" that is, as a ratio of two whole numbers. When one of their own proved this wasn't the case, mayhem ensued. In this talk, we'll discuss the history of irrational numbers and why it is incredibly important for mathematicians today that the Pythagorean philosophers were proven wrong.

Dr. Abernathy received her B.S. in mathematics, with a concentration in biology, in 2004. She earned a M.A. in mathematics from Wake Forest University in 2006 before completing her Ph.D. in mathematics at North Carolina State University in 2011. Upon graduation, she joined the Department of Mathematics at Winthrop.

Dr. Abernathy works in the field of infectious diseases, and uses mathematical modeling to study the long-term dynamics of treatments to diseases such as cancer and HIV. She actively involves undergraduates in her work, having worked with over 40 undergraduate students to date. In addition to her research program, Dr. Abernathy serves as a co-director for a regional professional development program for early career mathematics faculty and consults on data science projects for local industries.