Arthur Benjamin
Arthur Benjamin, PhD, earned his B.S. in Applied Mathematics from Carnegie Mellon and his PhD in Mathematical Sciences from Johns Hopkins. Since 1989, he has taught at Harvey Mudd College, where he is the Smallwood Family Professor of
Mathematics and past Chair. In 2000, he received the Haimo Award for Distinguished Teaching by the Mathematical Association of America, and served as the MAA’s Polya Lecturer from 2006 to 2008.
His research interests include combinatorics and number theory, with a special fondness for Fibonacci numbers. Many of these ideas appear in his book (co-authored with Jennifer Quinn), “Proofs That Really Count: The Art of Combinatorial Proof”, published by MAA. In 2006, that book received the Beckenbach Book Prize by the MAA. Professors Benjamin and Quinn were the editors of Math Horizons magazine from 2004 through 2008. He is the 2017 recipient of the Communications Award from the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics.
He has created six DVD courses for The Great Courses on The Joy of Mathematics, Discrete Mathematics, The Secrets of Mental Math, The Mathematics of Games and Puzzles, Math & Magic, and Fibonacci Numbers & the Golden Ratio. He is a past winner of the American Backgammon Tour and is in the American Backgammon Hall of Fame. He is Past President of the Fibonacci Association.
Dr. Benjamin is also a professional magician who performs his mixture of math and magic to audiences all over the world, including the Magic Castle in Hollywood. He has demonstrated and explained his calculating talents in his book “Secrets of Mental Math” and on numerous television and radio programs, including The Today Show, CNN, and National Public Radio. He has been featured in Scientific American, Omni, Discover, People, Esquire, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Reader’s Digest. Reader’s Digest calls him “America’s Best Math Whiz.”