Dear Friends,
As fall draws to a close and winter settles in, I write with a brief update on CHID’s resilience in the midst of budgetary crisis and administrative restructuring. Since my last note in the spring, we have been fortunate to receive the green light to work toward CHID’s official move from “program” to “department” status. This process of departmentalization represents a significant moment in CHID’s history, as it solidifies our place at the University of Washington and offers… Read more
Let’s start with some questions, and some tautological answers:
Q. What does a mathematician do? A. They create mathematics.
Q. What does an artist do?A. They create art.
The second answer seems more solid—because we feel we know better what it means to create art. The first feels so circular—what does it means to create mathematics? One of the goals of Axiomatic, my recent… Read more
When still a babe, I internalized the story that a good serious person cultivates a clean, technical set of interests, and pursues them with uncanny passion until one’s efforts are duly exchanged for money-money. I swear, sometimes I still think that idea might work out for me, but mostly I work for pennies-pennies, trying to save the world from imminent climate catastrophe.
Classified as an “unconventional student,” I came to CHID after ten years of infrequent schooling from various… Read more
I teach at a Jesuit institution in northeastern Pennsylvania, The University of Scranton, in the town made famous by the American version of The Office. (When I was leaving England for this job, many a person quoted John Betjemen’s poem “Slough” (1937) by way of jocular encouragement: “Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough!/ It isn't fit for humans now…”). In truth, Scranton is post-industrial, still finding its way forward in an economy without need for anthracite coal.… Read more
We want to celebrate the many accomplishments of CHIDdies of all types—students, faculty, alumni—by highlighting recent honors and news items.
Do you have news that you want to share with your CHID community? An award or recognition? A great gig? Going to grad school? Life event to share?
Let us know – send a short description and any web links to administrator Suzanne St Peter, sstpeter@uw.edu.
We want to hear from you!