CREATIVE MINDS, CHARMED LIVES: INTERVIEWS AT INSTITUTE FOR MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

by Yu Kiang Leong

This book features interviews of 38 eminent mathematicians and mathematical scientists who were invited to participate in the programs of the Institute for Mathematical Sciences, National University of Singapore. Originally published in its newsletter Imprints from 2003 to 2009, these interviews give a fascinating and insightful glimpse into the passion driving some of the most creative minds in modern research in pure mathematics, applied mathematics, statistics, economics and engineering.The reader is drawn into a panorama of the past and present developments of some of the ideas that have revolutionized modern science and mathematics. This book should be relevant to those who are interested in the history and psychology of ideas. It should provide motivation, inspiration and guidance to students who aspire to do research and to beginning researchers who are looking for career niches.For those who wish to be broadly educated, it is informative without delving into excessive technical details and is, at the same time, thought provoking enough to arouse their curiosity to learn more about the world around them.

352 pages, Hardcover

First published May 31, 2010

Reviews

[Zhitao Fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book from my supervisor's book shelf. This book is written by Leong Yu Kiang who is a professor in math department teaching elementary mathematics to students from non-math department. I was accidentally assisting him in teaching tutorial. The module include topic like logics, graph theory, combinatorics etc which is really fun.
The book is about the interviews conducted by Leong of some mathematicians who ever attended conferences in IMS (Institute of Mathematical Sciences). I merely read this book for fun and inspiration. After I read this book, I am so motivated by one sentence said by Stanley Osher, 'I make algorithms to let the computer sing'. So Beautiful. This may be the last sentence i have ever forgotten from this book.