Burkard Polster (born 26 February 1965 in
Würzburg
Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River.
Würzburg is ...
) is a German
mathematician
A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems.
Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change.
History
On ...
who runs and presents the ''Mathologer'' channel on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
.
Polster earned a doctorate from the
University of Erlangen–Nuremberg in 1993 under the supervision of Karl Strambach.
He works as an associate professor of mathematics at
Monash University
Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...
in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, Australia. Other universities that Polster has been affiliated with, before joining Monash in 2000, include the
University of Würzburg
The Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg (also referred to as the University of Würzburg, in German ''Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg'') is a public research university in Würzburg, Germany. The University of Würzburg is one of ...
,
University at Albany
The State University of New York at Albany, commonly referred to as the University at Albany, UAlbany or SUNY Albany, is a public research university with campuses in Albany, Rensselaer, and Guilderland, New York. Founded in 1844, it is one ...
,
University of Kiel,
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
,
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury ( mi, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was ...
, and
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...
.
Polster's research involves topics in
geometry
Geometry (; ) is, with arithmetic, one of the oldest branches of mathematics. It is concerned with properties of space such as the distance, shape, size, and relative position of figures. A mathematician who works in the field of geometry is c ...
,
recreational mathematics, and the mathematics of everyday life, including how to tie
shoelaces or stabilize a wobbly table.
Books
Polster is the author of multiple books including:
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* Included in the four-book compilation ''Scientia: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Astronomy for All'' (2011) and translated into German as ''Sciencia: Mathematik, Physik, Chemie, Biologie und Astronomie für alle verständlich'' (Librero, 2014, in German).
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[Reviews of ''Math Goes to the Movies'':
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References
External links
Mathologer Polster's YouTube site
Maths Masters Burkard Polster and Marty Ross
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Polster, Burkard
Australian mathematicians
20th-century German mathematicians
Recreational mathematicians
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg alumni
Monash University faculty
Living people
Science-related YouTube channels
1965 births
Mathematics popularizers
21st-century German mathematicians
English-language YouTube channels