Math is tied to what it means to be human. In the first part of his Dresden Memorial lecture, Su describes how math connects to basic human desires, like beauty, freedom, and justice, and how it builds virtues that contribute to a life well-lived. He also shares a story about what he’s learned from a prison inmate who has helped him rethink what it means to do math well.
 
Francis Edward Su is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College. He received a Bachelors in Math from the University of Texas, and his PhD from Harvard. He has taught at Cornell and Caltech. He has been president of the Mathematical Association of America has been featured in the New York Times.