SAIC’s Eugenia Cheng Talks Creativity and Math on WBEZ
Don’t let the stereotypes fool you; artists can actually enjoy math. So says SAIC faculty member Eugenia Cheng (Liberal Arts), who holds a doctorate in pure mathematics. Chicago radio station WBEZ recently profiled Cheng, who previously served as SAIC’s Scientist-in-Residence, during a “Nerdette” podcast recording at Steppenwolf Theatre.
“People think ‘Oh, well, math is just all about getting the right answer, isn't it?’ But math isn't just about getting the right answer,” Cheng said. “Math is about understanding things better. It is about looking at the world around you and looking at it from a different point of view in order to gain more insight into it.”
Dr. Cheng has already received wide acclaim and the admiration of SAIC students for her food-based approach to math and invites learners to test inventive strategies as a way of embracing STEM’s artful possibilities.
In celebration of alum Georgia O’Keeffe: My New Yorks opening current SAIC students were invited to submit artworks inspired by O’keeffe and the city of Chicago.
An image from the exhibition opening of “My Chicagos: SAIC Students Honor Georgia O’Keeffe.”