Annual George Kitchen Memorial Math Lecture

The George Kitchen Memorial Lectureship was established at Kalamazoo College in 1999 to honor the life of George Kitchen, a mathematician who had been an inspiration to students and fellow mathematics educators throughout his teaching career at Portage Northern High School and is still felt today.

This lectureship is supported through gifts from his students, friends, and colleagues. The purpose of these lectures is to provide an opportunity for high school students and mathematics educators to hear mathematicians speak about their own related work at a level intended for high school students.

For all of his life, it was George Kitchen’s firm belief that a love for mathematics and its applications could be cultivated in every student. These lectures are offered with that goal in mind.

If you would like to make a financial contribution to help preserve this lectureship, please make checks payable to Kalamazoo College and write Kitchen Memorial Fund on the memo line. Send the check to Development Office, Kalamazoo College, 1200 Academy Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49006. For more information contact Kristen Eldred at 269.337.7100 or keldred@kzoo.edu.

Previous Lecture Titles

April 30, 2024: Dr David Galvin of Notre Dame
Question Everything: Paradoxes, Surprises and Counterintuitive Truths

Spring 2023: No lecture this year.

Spring 2022: No lecture this year due to concerns surrounding COVID-19.

Spring 2021: No lecture this year due to concerns surrounding COVID-19.

Spring 2020: The lecture scheduled for April 2020 was cancelled due to concerns surrounding COVID-19.

May 14, 2019: Dr. Bridget Tenner of DePaul University
Counting and Not Counting

March 14, 2018: Dr. Dave Kung of St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Harmonious Equations: an Exploration of Math & Music

May 17, 2017: Dr. Aparna Higgins of University of Dayton, Ohio
Pebbling on Graphs: Demonic Graphs and Troop Deployment

March 30, 2016: Dr. Alissa Crans of Loyola Marymount University
A Surreptitious Sequence: The Catalan Numbers

May 6, 2015: Dr. Ashley Ahlin of Michigan State University
Snowflakes, Fractals, and Bach

May 1, 2014: Dr. Francis Su of Harvey Mudd College
My Favorite Math Fun Facts

May 15, 2013: Dr. Matt Boelkins of Grand Valley State University
Fibonacci’s Garden

May 3, 2012: Dr. Colm Mulcahy of Spelman College
Celebration of Mind: Connecting Mathematics, Magic, and Mystery

May 5, 2011: Mr. Ivars Peterson of Mathematical Association of America
The Jungles of Randomness

May 6, 2010: Dr. Tim Chartier of Davidson College
Mime-matics

May 7, 2009: Dr. Jennifer Quinn of University of Washington, Tacoma
Fibonacci Fascination

May 8, 2008: Dr. Arthur Benjamin of Harvey Mudd College
Mathematical Magic

May 2, 2007: Dr. Joseph Gallian of University of Minnesota, Duluth
Breaking Driver’s License Codes

May 11, 2006: Dr. Helen Moore of the American Institute of Mathematics Research Conference Center in Palo Alto, CA
Mathematical Rx

April 28, 2005: Dr. Richard Tapia of Rice University
Promoting Appreciation for Mathematics Through Applications to Very Cool Activities

May 6, 2004: Dr. Michael Starbird of University of Texas at Austin
The Fourth Dimension

May 1, 2003: Dr. Jeff Weeks
The Shape of Space

April 18, 2002: Dr. Robert L. Devaney of Boston University
Chaos Games and Fractal Images

April 26, 2001: Dr. Edward B. Burger of Williams College
Magic with Mathematics: Is the formula faster than the eye?

May 4, 2000: Dr. Colin Adams of Williams College
Mel Slugbate’s Real Estate in Hyperbolic Space

May 6, 1999: Dr. Arthur Benjamin of Harvey Mudd College
Mathematical Magic