During the last decades of the 20th century, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) decried the claim by many females that they didn’t have the “math gene” required to study mathematics at an advanced level. However, when Miriam Mirzekhani was awarded in 2014, a Fields Medal for her “outstanding contributions to the dynamics …
There is a very strong correlation between good results and hard work. This is readily apparent in athletics. Those gifted with superior athletic ability, usually discover early in their lives that they are more agile than most, can run faster or jump higher, or have greater physical strength. As they outperform their teammates or competitors, …
People who are described as geniuses in mathematics or theoretical physics were often precocious and their gifts were recognized early. The quintessential mathematical genius in the 18th century, was Karl Friedrich Gauss. He was a calculating prodigy, whose remarkable gifts emerged when he was 3 years old, enabling him to perform long and intricate computations …
I can give you several examples of gifted people whose lives were dramatically changed when they discovered that they might not be the brightest bulb in the box. However, I will share only two cases. The first person, whom we’ll call “Henry”, was a star pupil in a private school when he discovered computers at …
Imagine what it’s like to come into a world with high intelligence. From early in youth, you are infused with an eagerness to understand your new existence. Adults whom you love and who love you may attempt to teach you ancient religious doctrine that doesn’t make sense to you, but you attempt to accept these …
Most people are not interested in mathematics, physics or any subjects that involve abstract concepts. To test the validity of this assertion, attend a party or a social gathering in which everyone is engaged in animated conversation and announce: Listen up, everyone. Some of you may not be aware that on October 12, 2024, the …
Why do some people experience deep emotional reactions to mathematical discoveries? Read More »
Constructive originality is the ability to innovate in the creation of a new invention, theory or idea. Many of the most celebrated humans in history made their reputations by applying their creative ability to the solution of problems or to the achievement of new intellectual breakthroughs. From the ancient world, many of the philosophers and …
In 1990, Thomas J. Bouchard et al. published a seminal article titled, Sources of Human Psychological Differences: The Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart in which they assembled 100 sets of identical twins who were separated early in life and raised apart. All participants in the study completed about 50 hours of medical and psychological …
Those of us in academic fields read several thousands of books and papers in our lifetime and it’s vitally important to retain and recover what we’ve read, because there’s not enough time to read the same source twice. I have several ways that I chunk information, enabling me to recall or retrieve the contents of …
What are practical examples of chunking complex information while reading? Read More »
I feel a kinship with those who have a passion for math and I want to help you with your decision. Your passion for mathematics is a vital factor in achieving a Ph.D. in that subject. Of course, a high IQ, including a capacity for abstraction, is also a necessary criterion because you will be …
