Festival of Science 2001 Alfred Romer Lecture Jeff Weeks

St. Lawrence University
Festival of Science 2001

Alfred Romer Lecture

Jeff Weeks
(Mathematician and MacArthur Fellow)

"The Shape of Space"

   Is the universe really Infinite? Data from a small NASA satellite could soon show that it is not.
   The first half of the presentation uses computer games to show that space may not be infinite -- it may be finite, yet have no boundary.
   Interactive 3-D graphics will then take viewers on a tour of several possible "shapes" of space, concluding with an explanation of the "Big Bang" and how radiation remaining from it may reveal the true shape of our universe.

He develops curricular materials to introduce "finite universes" to middle and high school classes; develops research software for creating and studying
finite universes and prepares software to be used in determining the shape of the real universe from cosmic microwave data.
His book "The Shape of Space" is an introduction to topological analysis which has received high honors from the International Congress of Mathematicians. The award-winning video "The Shape of Space" introduces the same ideas to students in grades six through ten.

He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Dartmouth College and a master's degree and Ph.D. in mathematics from Princeton University.
He has also held faculty appointments at Princeton University, Stockton State College, Ithaca College and Middlebury College. And has held, or holds, research grants from the Geometry Center, Brigham Young University, The Finnish Science Center and the National Science Foundation.

The Romer Lecture was established to honor Physics Professor
Emeritus Alfred Romer, who had been associated with St. Lawrence for over 50 years.

Created: 4/26/2001
SLU Mathematics Dept.