Notices Interview with Martin Gardner

June 7, 2005

Providence, RI---The author of numerous works on science and mathematics, a renowned magic expert, and a prominent debunker of pseudoscience, Martin Gardner is still active at the age of 90. Among mathematicians he is probably best known for his "Mathematical Games" column that ran in Scientific American magazine for 25 years. This column brought the beauty and fascination of mathematics to the general public and inspired many budding mathematicians. In 1987, Gardner's writings about mathematics were recognized by the AMS Steele Prize, one of the most prestigious prizes in the mathematical world. Gardner lives and writes in Norman, Oklahoma.

The June/July 2005 issue of the Notices of the AMS carries an interview with Gardner, whose interest in mathematics, science, philosophy, and many other subjects remains unabated. In the interview he talks about his early life, how he got started writing about mathematics, his interest in philosophy, and his encounters with such unusual personalities as the mathematician John H. Conway and the artist Salvador Dali. The article includes pictures of some of the artworks Gardner has collected over the years, together with his comments about them.

The interview is available in PDF format (32 MB) on the Notices web site (no subscription needed, but registration on the AMS site is required).

For more information, contact:
Michael Breen or Annette Emerson
AMS Public Awareness Officers
Email: paoffice@ams.org
Telephone: 401-455-4000
Fax: 401-331-3842

#  #  #  #

Founded in 1888 to further mathematical research and scholarship, the 29,000-member American Mathematical Society fulfills its mission through programs and services that promote mathematical research and its uses, strengthen mathematical education, and foster awareness and appreciation of mathematics and its connections to other disciplines and to everyday life.