The 92-Year-Old Mathematician and the Teenage Apprentice

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The 92-Year-Old Mathematician and the Teenage Apprentice

Credit…Oliver Farshi for The New York Times

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Joan Birman thought her major discoveries were behind her. Then came an email from a young neighbor — a girl who knew little but wanted to learn.
(…)
Now, in the summer of 2019, she was 92 years old, and she had no interest in being a babysitter.
Still, she messaged the student back and said that she’d think about it.
(…)
After a few days, Dr. Birman replied and said she was willing to meet. She told the teenager to find a textbook, I.N. Herstein’s “Topics in Algebra,” a standard torture device for aspiring graduate students.

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I LOVED this story. I wish so many more students would have this curiosity about subjects, instead of just following the latest Kardashian etc. They don’t all have to be Nobel prize worthy academics, but just get caught up in history or chemistry or art . . .

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A friend sent this to me earlier. I can’t wait to read it.

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What a great story.

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