Sarah Hart
Mathematician, Author, Speaker
About
Sarah Hart is a mathematician, author, and speaker who specializes in exploring the cultural, historical, and creative impact of mathematics. She is the author of [Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature], which was a New York Times Book Review Editors Choice, and winner of the Mathematical Associaton of America's prestigious Euler Book Prize. She is Professor Emerita of Mathematics at Birkbeck College (University of London), and Fellow of Gresham College, London, where she served a four-year term as Professor of Geometry, the first woman to hold the UK's oldest mathematics chair since its creation in 1597.Professor Hart is a gifted public speaker whose lectures have entertained in-person audiences in the UK, U.S., Canada, Spain, Portugal, Korea, China, with hundreds of thousands more viewing her Gresham lectures online. Her writing and public lectures bridge the perceived gap between mathematics and the arts and humanities, demonstrating to general audiences how patterns, geometry, and structure are integral to our favorite stories, music, art, and all forms of creative expression. Her insights have been featured in the New York Times, New Scientist, as well as on the BBC, NPR, and Freakonomics Radio.Contact
BOOKS
5, 6, 7, 8!
The Maths of Music in Seven Songs
From Bach’s fugues to Britney’s choruses, Sarah Hart shows how maths shapes the music that shapes our lives.
What makes music work? Why do rhythms move us and melodies stay with us for life? In 5, 6, 7, 8!, mathematician and bestselling author Sarah Hart unlocks the fascinating connections between music and mathematics.
Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature
This joyful exploration reveals the hidden mathematical patterns of literature, from poems to novels, from fairytales to Melville's Moby-Dick.
“An exuberant book that will educate, amuse and surprise.” – The Sunday Times.
Public Lectures and Events
Professor Sarah Hart is an experienced and engaging public speaker, known for making mathematics accessible, entertaining, and deeply connected to human culture. She regularly delivers talks for schools, literary festivals, universities, and events worldwide. Popular speaking topics include:Count me in! How maths explains music
In this lecture, Sarah Hart unlocks the fascinating resonances between music and mathematics. We’ll explore the beautiful number patterns underlying harmony, the geometrical symmetries of melody, and the ancient algorithm that predicts the rhythms most favoured by musicians across the world.A mathematical journey through literature
In this talk we’ll discover the hidden mathematics behind everything from poetry to novels, from simple fairytales to classics like Moby-Dick. Understanding these beautiful connections can enhance our enjoyment of not only literature, but mathematics too.How to Prove That 1 = 0: Spotting Flawed Logic in a World of Misinformation
In this entertaining and eye-opening lecture, Sarah Hart shows how easily we can be convinced by flawed reasoning, from obvious statements that turn out to be downright lies, graphs that have us believing the opposite of what the data shows, and even totally convincing “proofs” that 1=0.Interested in booking Sarah for an upcoming lecture, festival, or media appearance? Get in touch here.
Contact
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