Ian Stewart (mathematician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ian Stewart
FRS CMath FIMA
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Stewart in 2017
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Ian Nicholas Stewart
24 September 1945 |
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| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | University of Warwick |
| Thesis | Subideals of Lie algebras (1969) |
| Doctoral advisor | Brian Hartley |
Ian Nicholas Stewart, born on September 24, 1945, is a famous British mathematician and writer. He writes books about science for everyone, not just scientists, and also science fiction. He used to be a professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick in England.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ian Stewart was born in 1945 in Folkestone, England. When he was in high school at The Harvey Grammar School, his math teacher noticed how smart he was. Ian even took advanced math exams without studying and got the top score!
He won a scholarship to study at the University of Cambridge. There, he earned a top degree in mathematics in 1966. Later, he went to the University of Warwick and completed his PhD in mathematics in 1969.
Career as a Mathematician and Writer
After finishing his PhD, Ian Stewart became a professor at the University of Warwick. He is very well known for making complex math ideas easy to understand for everyone.
He used to edit a math magazine called Manifold. From 1991 to 2001, he wrote a popular column called "Mathematical Recreations" for Scientific American magazine. These columns were so popular that they were later turned into books like "Math Hysteria" and "How to Cut a Cake".
Ian Stewart has also worked as a visiting professor in other countries, including Germany, New Zealand, and the United States. He has written many scientific papers, including some important ones about how animals move.
Popular Science Books
Ian Stewart has written many books that explain science and math in a fun way. He often works with other writers to create these books.
- Does God Play Dice? The New Mathematics of Chaos (1989)
- Nature's Numbers: The Unreal Reality of Mathematics (1995)
- From Here to Infinity (1996)
- The Magical Maze: Seeing the World Through Mathematical Eyes (1998)
- Flatterland (2001)
- Math Hysteria (2004)
- Letters to a Young Mathematician (2006)
- How to Cut a Cake: And Other Mathematical Conundrums (2006)
- Why Beauty Is Truth: A History of Symmetry (2007)
- Professor Stewart's Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities (2008)
- The Mathematics of Life (2011)
- In Pursuit of the Unknown: 17 Equations That Changed the World (2012)
- Calculating the Cosmos: How Mathematics Unveils the Universe (2016)
- Significant Figures: The Lives and Work of Great Mathematicians (2017)
The Science of Discworld Series
Ian Stewart worked with Jack Cohen and famous fantasy author Terry Pratchett on a special series of books. These books use the world of Pratchett's Discworld novels to explain real science.
- The Science of Discworld
- The Science of Discworld II: The Globe
- The Science of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch
- The Science of Discworld IV: Judgement Day
In 1999, Terry Pratchett made both Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen "Honorary Wizards of the Unseen University." This happened at the same ceremony where the University of Warwick gave Terry Pratchett an honorary degree.
Other Writings
Ian Stewart has also written books about computer programming and advanced math textbooks. He has even written science fiction novels with Jack Cohen.
- Wheelers (fiction)
- Heaven (fiction)
Awards and Recognition
Ian Stewart has received many awards for his work.
- In 1995, he won the Michael Faraday Medal for explaining science to the public.
- In 1997, he gave the famous Royal Institution Christmas Lectures on "The Magical Maze."
- He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2001. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
- In 2008, he was the first person to receive the Christopher Zeeman Medal. This award is given for promoting mathematics to a wider audience.
Personal Life
Ian Stewart married Avril in 1970, and they have two sons. He enjoys many hobbies, including science fiction, painting, playing the guitar, keeping fish, geology, Egyptology, and snorkeling.
