Edmund Harriss Explained

Edmund Orme Harriss (born 1976 in Worcester, UK) is a British mathematician,[1] writer and artist.[2] Since 2010 he has been at the Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences at The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas where he is an Assistant Professor of Arts & Sciences (ARSC) and Mathematical Sciences (MASC). He does research in the Geometry of Tilings and Patterns, a branch of Convex and Discrete Geometry.[3] He is the discoverer of the spiral that bears his name.[4]

Education and career

Harriss earned a Master of Mathematics at the University of Warwick (2000) and then obtained his PhD at Imperial College London (2003) with the dissertation "On Canonical Substitution Tilings" under Jeroen Lamb.

Harriss has been a speaker at FSCONS, a Nordic Free software conference.[5]

Harriss is active on Numberphile where he has given talks on Heesch numbers, Tribonacci numbers, the Rauzy fractal and the plastic ratio.[6]

In May and June 2020 Harriss was a visiting fellow at The Institute for Advanced Study of Aix-Marseille University (IMéRA) where he studied the possibilities of visual and spatial models and animations to illustrate a wide variety of mathematical ideas.[7]

Mathematical art

The Gauss–Bonnet theorem gives the relationship between the curvature of a surface and the amount of turning as you traverse the surface’s boundary.[8] Harriss used this theorem to invent shapes called Curvahedra which were then incorporated into sculpture.[9] Scientists at MIT are investigating ways in which curvahedra may have applications in construction.

Art and mathematics are intertwined in Harris's work.[10] He uses public art to demonstrate deep mathematical ideas[11] and his academic work frequently involves the visualization of mathematics.[12] Mathematically themed sculptures by Harriss have been installed at Oklahoma State University,[13] at the University of Arkansas,[14] [15] and at Imperial College London.[10]

Combining his interest in art and mathematical tilings he is one of 24 mathematicians and artists who make up the Mathemalchemy Team.[16] [17]

Harriss Spiral

Harriss noticed that the golden ratio is just one example of a more general idea: In how many ways can a rectangle be divided into squares and rectangles? The golden ratio results when a rectangle is divided into a one square and one similar rectangle. But by varying the number of squares and sub-rectangles, we arrive at what Harriss calls "proportion systems". The solutions in all cases are algebraic numbers and the golden ratio is just one of them.[18]

"The golden ratio is this incredibly well-explored corner of a whole city,” he said. “I wanted to give signposts to other locations in that city."[4]

Harriss investigated the next simplest case, dividing a rectangle into one square and two similar rectangles. The ratio that emerged in this case is the so-called plastic ratio.[19] The golden spiral is closely related to the first case, dissection into one square and one similar rectangle. Harriss applied the same idea to this second case and discovered a new fractal spiral related to the plastic ratio and since named after him.[4]

Selected publications

Books

Harriss has published several books designed to spread joy in mathematics.[20] The sales of his colouring books run well beyond 100,000.[21] [22]

Papers

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.imperial.ac.uk/events/97715/experiencing-mathematics-edmund-harriss/ Experiencing Mathematics – Edmund Harriss at Imperial College London
  2. http://gallery.bridgesmathart.org/exhibitions/2019-joint-mathematics-meetings/edmundharriss Mathematical Art Galleries: Edmund Harriss
  3. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Edmund-Harriss Edmund Orme Harriss
  4. https://www.theguardian.com/science/alexs-adventures-in-numberland/2015/jan/13/golden-ratio-beautiful-new-curve-harriss-spiral The golden ratio has spawned a beautiful new curve: the Harriss spiral
  5. https://wiki.fscons.org/FSCONS_2009/Summary FSCONS 2009/Summary
  6. https://www.numberphile.com/videos/category/Edmund+Harriss Edmund Harriss videos
  7. https://imera.univ-amu.fr/en/resident/edmund-harriss-1 Edmund Harriss: Visiting Fellow
  8. https://2020.bridgesmathart.org/regular/137.html Gauss-Bonnet Sculpting
  9. Harriss. Edmund . 2020 . Gauss-Bonnet Sculpting . Proceedings of Bridges 2020: Mathematics, Art, Music, Architecture, Education, Culture . 2020 . 137–144 . 978-1938664366.
  10. https://imera.univ-amu.fr/en/system/files/cv_harriss_edmund.pdf Edmund Harriss bio
  11. https://news.uark.edu/articles/58031/honors-college-gearharts-dedicate-curvahedra-sculpture Honors College, Gearharts Dedicate Curvahedra Sculpture
  12. https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2019/aug/31/mathematician-s-ua-art-multiplies-20190-1/ Mathematician's UA art multiplies; Large outdoor campus work in plans
  13. https://casinfo.okstate.edu/spotlights/1364-mathematics-learning-success-center-to-unveil-artwork Mathematics Learning Success Center to Unveil Artwork
  14. https://aplus.uark.edu/courtyard-curvahedra/ Courtyard Curvahedra
  15. Experience the Beauty of Mathematics in 'Courtyard Curvahedra' University of Arkansas Newa, March 09, 2022
  16. https://mathemalchemy.org/team-24-mathematicians-artists-of-mathemalchemy/ Mathemalchemy’s Team
  17. https://today.duke.edu/2021/11/art-installation-celebrates-beauty-and-whimsy-math Art Installation Celebrates the Beauty and Whimsy of Math
  18. https://gigazine.net/news/20150115-harriss-spiral/ "Spirals of Harris" thought inspired by the beauty that the golden ratio produces
  19. https://chalkdustmagazine.com/regulars/on-the-cover/on-the-cover-harriss-spiral/ On the cover: Harriss spiral
  20. https://theexperimentpublishing.com/creator/edmund-harriss/ Edmund Harriss
  21. "Colouring-in books boom continues with volume of mathematical patterns", by Alison Flood, The Guardian, 06 Jul 2015
  22. "You're Never Too Old to Color—Especially Math Patterns", by Angela Watercutter, Wired Nov 30, 2015
  23. "Coloring By Numbers, Mathematically", by Chau Tu, Science Friday, February 1, 2016
  24. "Patterns of the Universe A Coloring Adventure in Math and Beauty", Science Magazine, 01 Jan 2016, Vol 351, Issue 6268, p. 36

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Edmund Harriss".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.