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Posted 07/10/02
(left to right) Bob Drake, Wendy Conquest and Dan Rockmore (photo by Joe Mehling '69)
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Wendy Conquest interviews mathematician Michael H. Freedman (photo by Dan Rockmore)
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A new documentary explores the excitement and allure of mathematics
It may seem strange to hear math described as enchanting and beautiful, but that's exactly what happens in the new documentary, The Math Life. Produced at Dartmouth, The Math Life provides a window into the people, problems and process of mathematical thinking and research. There will be a free, public screening of this 50-minute documentary on Friday, July 26 at 6 p.m. in the Loew Theater at the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth.
The Math Life, co-produced by filmmakers Wendy Conquest and Bob Drake, and Dartmouth Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science Dan Rockmore, is aimed at general audiences to inspire viewers and promote the vitality of mathematics.
"This movie takes a look at the human dimension of mathematics from inside the field," says Conquest. "We interviewed some of the country's foremost mathematicians and asked them to explain why they do mathematics, how they became interested in it, and how their work shapes our view of the world."
Throughout the film, mathematicians reveal the excitement that fuels their work. They show themselves to be a diverse group with varying aptitudes and interests. Some find themselves more attracted to the patterns of geometry, while others are drawn to the patterns in numbers. Some researchers investigate the subject of randomness and talk about understanding probability by studying games of chance. Using fireflies and human heartbeats, still more experts explain that mathematics can help describe the complexity of the natural world.
"Most people don't realize that mathematics is so much more than arithmetic, and that mathematicians are very different from the awkward genius Hollywood stereotypes," says Rockmore. "We think the film does a good job of painting an engaging and intriguing portrait of the variety of mathematical research and the wide range of people who pursue it."
The Math Life was funded by the National Science Foundation with additional support from the Dartmouth College Department of Mathematics and the Institute for the Study of Applied and Professional Ethics at Dartmouth.
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