Sir Roger Penrose of Oxford University, one of the world’s most-honored mathematicians and physicists, will deliver the 11th annual Cantrell Lectures on campus May 2–4. He will discuss twistor theory.
Penrose is author of the 1989 bestseller The Emperor’s New Mind, a controversial examination of the interplay between particle physics and the nature of the mind. His most recent book, The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe, was published this year.
“What is most astonishing about Roger Penrose is his breadth and originality,” says UGA math professor Mitchell Rothstein, one of the organizers of this year’s lectures. “He has made fundamental contributions to such disparate subjects as the nature of space-time singularities and the theory of irregular plane tilings. He has a fresh way of looking at everything. His twistor theory, the subject of this year’s lectures, is a prime example. He is also a superb expositor. We are most fortunate to have him as this year’s speaker.”
The Cantrell lectures were started in 1994, in honor of UGA Professor Emeritus James Cantrell. Past speakers include John Milnor, Michael Atiyah and Vaughan Jones.