Arthur T. Benjamin
| Arthur T. Benjamin | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
March 19, 1961 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Residence | Claremont, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | USA |
| Fields | Mathematics, combinatorics |
| Institutions | Harvey Mudd College |
| Alma mater |
Carnegie Mellon University Johns Hopkins University |
| Doctoral advisor | Alan J. Goldman |
| Known for | Mental mathematics feats, Combinatorics, Mathemagic |
| Notable awards | American Backgammon Tour Player of the Year 1997 |
Arthur T. Benjamin (born March 19, 1961) is an American mathematician who specializes in combinatorics. Since 1989 he has been a professor of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, where he is the Smallwood Family Professor of Mathematics.
He is known for mental math capabilities and "Mathemagics" performances in front of live audiences. His mathematical abilities have been highlighted in newspaper and magazine articles, at TED Talks and on the Colbert Report.
Benjamin earned a Bachelor of Science degree with highest honors in applied mathematics at Carnegie Mellon University in 1983. He then went on to receive a Master of Science degree in 1985 and a Doctorate of Philosophy in engineering in mathematical sciences at Johns Hopkins University in 1989. His PhD dissertation was titled "Turnpike Structures for Optimal Maneuvers", and was supervised by Alan J. Goldman.
During his freshman year at CMU he wrote the lyrics and created the magic effects for the musical comedy, Kije!, in collaboration with author Scott McGregor and composer Arthur Darrell Turner. This musical was the winner of an annual competition and was first performed as the CMU's Spring Musical in 1980.
Benjamin held several mathematics positions while attending university, including stints with the National Bureau of Standards, the National Security Agency, and the Institute for Defense Analyses. Upon receipt of his PhD he was hired as an assistant professor of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College. He is currently a full professor at Harvey Mudd and was chair of the mathematics department from 2002 to 2004. He has published over 90 academic papers and five books. He has also filmed several sets of lectures on mathematical topics for The Great Courses series from The Teaching Company, including a course on Discrete Mathematics, Mental Math, and The Mathematics of Games and Puzzles: From Cards to Sudoku. He served as co-editor of Math Horizons magazine for five years.
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