New College lecture to focus on Thurston legacy

Donal O’Shea, a mathematician and president of New College of Florida, and Anne-Marie Russell, executive director of the Sarasota Museum of Art, will speak on “Art, Math and Orange Peels: The Legacy of Dr. William Thurston on Math and Fashion” as part of New College’s “New Topics” lecture series on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the Sainer Pavilion, 5313 Bay Shore Road.

Thurston was a member of the charter class at New College of Florida who won a Fields Medal for his work in the fields of geometry and topology. The 1967 graduate was a world-renowned expert in the mathematical field of topology, which he explained in a favorite demonstration that involved peeling an orange or tangerine, which, if peeled very carefully in a single strip results in an S-shape, with the same degree of spiral. Admission to all New Topics programs is free, but reservations are recommended; call 4874888 or visit donate.ncf. edu/events.

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