SCGP Spring 2016 Newsletter

The Simons Center for Geometry and Physics is pleased to announce the latest issue of SCGP News, a biannual publication which reflects the Center’s mission, scientific and cultural events. In this issue the Founding Director, John Morgan, recounts the Center’s early days, the power of transversality, and more. SCGP Professor Simon Donaldson contributes an elegant … Read more

Two And Two Make Four. By Simon Donaldson

By Simon Donaldson If we have four objects—say A, B, C, D—there are just three ways of dividing them into pairs: (AB)(CD) (AC)(BD) (AD)(BC). The salient property is that 3 is less than 4. This simple fact expresses something special about the number 4. For example if we take 6 objects there are 10 ways to divide … Read more

Along Came Magic. Della Pietra Lecture Series Featuring Tadashi Tokieda

The latest exciting edition of the Della Pietra Lecture Series was delivered by Professor Tadashi Tokieda, the Director of Studies in Mathematics at Trinity Hall, Cambridge and the Poincaré Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Stanford. By Maria Shtilmark Prof. Tokieda, who likes applying mathematics to physics, and also applying physics to mathematics, … Read more

A True Gentleman. Conversation with Tony Phillips

After 50 years with the Stony Brook Math Department Anthony V. Phillips has officially become Professor Emeritus as of May 31, 2016. The following interview features toasts presented at the farewell tea, held in the Math Department Common Room to celebrate Tony’s life at Stony Brook University.