"Magic with Mathematics: Is the Formula Faster Than the Eye?" is the title of the next lecture in the UTM Academic Speakers Series.

The presentation by Edward Burger will be at 7:30 p.m., March 1, in the Watkins Auditorium in the UC. His appearance is coordinated by the Honors Programs on behalf of the entire university. The event is free and open to the public. A public reception will follow the speech in the lobby just outside the auditorium.

Burger is professor of mathematics and chair of the department of mathematics and statistics at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass. He is known for making mathematics come to life through his enthusiasm and humor. Burger asks: "Is mind-reading possible? Can you make your dorm room bigger without throwing out your roommate? Can you break the bank at Vegas with dice? And perhaps the most compelling question: Do math professors really know how to dress? No mathematics background is necessary and no mathematics will explicitly be discussed. If you hate mathematics, this talk is for you."

Burger is author of more than 60 articles and two books, winner of a Mathematics Association of America distinguished teaching award, and associate editor of the American Mathematical Monthly. He has his own Web site at http://www.williams.edu/Mathematics/eburger/.

"Ed Burger is nationally known for his dramatic and entertaining presentations on mathematics," said Dr. William Zachry, director of the UTM Honors Programs. "He promises to make it fun for everyone, especially those who can't stand the sight of an equation."

For more information, contact Dr. Zachry at zachry@utm.edu or 731-587-7436.