Bridges 2011 Short Paper

20 Seconds Into the Future: Narrative Space for Maths Motivations
Tim Boykett, Tina Auer and Andreas Mayrhofer
(Proceedings pages 435–438)

Abstract

The innate and powerful ability of the human mind to create narratives from a given situation is an effective means of transmitting information in a full context. The project described here, ``20 Seconds into the Future,'' presents the office of H. Kadigan, itinerant mathematician, along with all the accoutrements of his personality. Visitors investigate the contents of the room, the books and papers, letters and photos, building up a complete view of his world and his work within mathematics and its applications.

In this paper we outline Physical Narratives in general and describe an example of the world of a research mathematician. The room communicates his life and work, the breadth of his mathematical interests and the applications of mathematics within the world of physics.

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