Mathematicians Interviewed - 1. Dr Saul Schleimer

This is that start of the long awaited series of interviews with eminent Mathematicians. I am honoured to say that Dr. Saul Schleimer of Warwick University, has been the first to answer my questions. I heard Dr. Schleimer speak earlier in the month and he was incredibly fascinating. As I hoped his answers were just as interesting. Here is the interview. If you have any Mathematicians you would like me to interview, please suggest them in the comments.

1. What inspired you to become a mathematician?

In my first and second years of college (UC Berkeley - I am from the States) I quickly realised that I was much much better at mathematics than any of the other things I tried to do.  Since I very much enjoyed math, I didn't fight the temptation to just focus on it.

2. What is your favourite area of mathematics and why?

I don't have just one favourite area - I very much like several kinds of mathematics!  I am a topologist by training, and that allows me to spend a lot of time drawing pictures, so let's say that topology is one of my favourites.

3. If you could discover any conjecture or problem what would it be and why?

I am somewhat self-motivated - I am interested in certain areas (geometric group theory, low-dimensional topology, hyperbolic geometry, complex analysis, analytic number theory, computer science) and I try to understand many things that lie in one or more of those fields.  Of course, sometimes when I hear or read about a particularly nice piece of mathematics I wish I had thought of it first... That said, I am really not focused on solving long-standing open problems. 

4. What is your favourite maths book and why?

I don't have one.  There are many, many beautifully written mathematics books.  But perhaps you are asking for a recommendation?  It really depends what you are interested in.  If you like geometry, then "Symmetry" by H. Weyl is very nice to read, and doesn't require too much background. 

5. What do you think could be done to encourage more interest in maths in children and young people?

I'm not sure that that is needed.  Everybody should get a basic education: enough to understand the world around them.  That requires a certain amount of mathematics, but also science, history, literature, and so on.  If a child (or adult!) shows an interest in a subject, then that should be gently encouraged, but not to the exclusion of other important things.

6. What advice would you give to a 16 or 17 teen year old who is thinking of studying maths at university?

You should seek work and relationships that you enjoy and are meaningful to you.  Mathematics may be one of those things and it may not - there is only one way to find out! 

7. What breakthroughs do you think are imminent in maths?

"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future."  Niels Bohr

8. Who is your favourite mathematician past or present and why?

Another hard question!  I don't think I have a favourite.  Let me instead mention just one mathematician, whose work I admire, and who might interest you.  Jeff Weeks was a student of William Thurston.  As part of his PhD thesis, he wrote a very powerful piece of code called "SnapPea" which can be used to study the geometry of "knot complements" - a certain special class of three-manifolds.  In addition to his work in low-dimensional topology, he has studied how one might use the cosmic microwave background radiation to predict the "shape of the universe".  He has also written a collection of geometric games, which are freely available:

http://www.geometrygames.org/

9. What do you feel is your greatest contribution to mathematics?

I think it is my attempts to listen carefully and communicated clearly.  I don't think I can really claim any more than that.  I suppose that I should point at one of my papers, or at one of my students... well, I hope that they will stand tall upon their own virtues.




If you would like to learn more about Dr. Schleimer's research visit his website: http://homepages.warwick.ac.uk/~masgar/