Edmund Orme Harriss (born 1976 in Worcester, UK) is a British mathematician,[ Experiencing Mathematics – Edmund Harriss at Imperial College London 11 December 2018] writer[ and artist.][ Mathematical Art Galleries: Edmund Harriss Bridges Conference] Since 2010 he has been at the Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences at The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas where he is an Assistant Professor of Arts & Sciences (ARSC) and Mathematical Sciences (MASC). He does research in the Geometry of Tessellation,[ a branch of Convex geometry and Discrete Geometry.][ Edmund Orme Harriss at ResearchGate
] He is the discoverer of the spiral that bears his name.[ The golden ratio has spawned a beautiful new curve: the Harriss spiral The Guardian, 13 January 2015]
Education and career
Harriss earned a Master of Mathematics at the University of Warwick (2000) and then obtained his PhD at Imperial College London (2003) with the dissertation "On Canonical Substitution Tilings" under Jeroen Lamb.
Harriss has been a speaker at FSCONS, a Nordic Free software conference.[ FSCONS 2009/Summary FSCONS wiki]
Harriss is active on Numberphile where he has given talks on , Tribonacci numbers, the Rauzy fractal and the plastic ratio.[ Edmund Harriss videos]
In May and June 2020 Harriss was a visiting fellow at The Institute for Advanced Study of Aix-Marseille University (IMéRA) where he studied the possibilities of visual and spatial models and animations to illustrate a wide variety of mathematical ideas.[ Edmund Harriss: Visiting Fellow IMéRA - Institute for Advanced Study]
Mathematical art
The Gauss–Bonnet theorem gives the relationship between the curvature of a surface and the amount of turning as you traverse the surface’s boundary.[ Gauss-Bonnet Sculpting, by Edmund Harriss, Bridges 2020] Harriss used this theorem to invent shapes called Curvahedra which were then incorporated into sculpture.[
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Art and mathematics are intertwined in Harris's work.[ Edmund Harriss bio Aix-Marseille University] He uses public art to demonstrate deep mathematical ideas[ Honors College, Gearharts Dedicate Curvahedra Sculpture University of Arkansas NEWS, Oct. 21, 2021] and his academic work frequently involves the visualization of mathematics.[ Mathematician's UA art multiplies; Large outdoor campus work in plans by Jaime Adame, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 31 August 2019] Mathematically themed sculptures by Harriss have been installed at Oklahoma State University,[ Mathematics Learning Success Center to Unveil Artwork OSU College of Arts and Sciences] at the University of Arkansas,[ Courtyard Curvahedra, By Kendall Curlee, University of Arkansas: A+ Online 2021][ Experience the Beauty of Mathematics in 'Courtyard Curvahedra' University of Arkansas Newa, March 09, 2022] and at Imperial College London.[
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Combining his interest in art and mathematical tilings he is one of 24 mathematicians and artists who make up the Mathemalchemy Team.[ Mathemalchemy’s Team][ Art Installation Celebrates the Beauty and Whimsy of Math Duke Today, November 9, 2021]
Harriss Spiral
Harriss noticed that the golden ratio is just one example of a more general idea: In how many ways can a rectangle be divided into squares and rectangles? The golden ratio results when a rectangle is divided into a one square and one similar rectangle. But by varying the number of squares and sub-rectangles, we arrive at what Harriss calls "proportion systems". The solutions in all cases are algebraic numbers and the golden ratio is just one of them.[ "Spirals of Harris" thought inspired by the beauty that the golden ratio produces Gigazine.net (in Japanese), Jan 15, 2015]
- "The golden ratio is this incredibly well-explored corner of a whole city,” he said. “I wanted to give signposts to other locations in that city."
Harriss investigated the next simplest case, dividing a rectangle into one square and two similar rectangles. The ratio that emerged in this case is the so-called plastic ratio.[ On the cover: Harriss spiral by Matthew Scroggs and Edmund Harriss, Chalkdust Magazine, 14 March 2019] The golden spiral is closely related to the first case, dissection into one square and one similar rectangle. Harriss applied the same idea to this second case and discovered a new fractal spiral related to the plastic ratio and since named after him.[
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Selected publications
Books
Harriss has published several books designed to spread joy in mathematics.[ Edmund Harriss The Experiment Publishing] The sales of his colouring books run well beyond 100,000.[" Colouring-in books boom continues with volume of mathematical patterns", by Alison Flood, The Guardian, 06 Jul 2015][" You're Never Too Old to Color—Especially Math Patterns", by Angela Watercutter, Wired Nov 30, 2015]
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(2015) Snowflake Seashell Star: Colouring Adventures in Numberland with Alex Bellos
[" Coloring By Numbers, Mathematically", by Chau Tu, Science Friday, February 1, 2016]
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(2016) Patterns of the Universe: A Coloring Adventure in Math and Beauty, with Alex Bellos
[" Patterns of the Universe A Coloring Adventure in Math and Beauty", Science Magazine, 01 Jan 2016, Vol 351, Issue 6268, p. 36]
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(2016) Visions of the Universe: A Coloring Journey Through Math's Great Mysteries, with Alex Bellos
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(2020) Hello Numbers! What Can You Do? 'An Adventure Beyond Counting, with Houston Hughes, Illustrated by Brian Rea
Papers
External links
