Terence Tao: Six Math Essentials

Widely regarded as the world’s greatest living mathematician, Fields Medalist Terence Tao approaches mathematics as a sublime art—a quiet, rigorous effort to map the hidden scaffolding of reality.

To mark the publication of his first popular book, Six Math Essentials, join us for an evening with Tao in conversation with Pioneer Works Director of Sciences Janna Levin. Tracing the central pillars of his book—from algebra as abstraction and geometry beyond sight, to navigating uncertainty and the mathematics of change—they will reveal math not as obscure magic, but as a deeply creative, interconnected way of thinking.

Often referred to as the Mozart of mathematics, Tao will also explore how AI is transforming his own practice, the frontier of research, and our collective future. Together, we will consider what becomes of human intuition and creativity when the tools of thought are no longer uniquely human—and whether the true beauty of math lies not in the answers we find, but in the human mind reaching for them.

Tao will sign copies of Six Math Essentials following the conversation, with books available for purchase on site. (Unable to attend? Order a signed copy here.)

Please note that seating is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

About the speakers
Terence Tao is an Australian-American professor of mathematics at UCLA whose work focuses primarily on harmonic analysis, partial differential equations, combinatorics, and analytic number theory. The recipient of a Fields Medal, a MacArthur Genius Grant, and a Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics, among many other accolades, he is one of the most decorated and prolific mathematicians working today. Tao is the author of several academic books including Solving Mathematical Problems: A Personal Perspective and Additive Combinatorics, as well as his first popular math book, Six Math Essentials. He lives in Los Angeles.

Janna Levin is the Claire Tow Professor of physics and astronomy at Barnard College of Columbia University. A Guggenheim Fellow, she has contributed to our understanding of black holes, extra dimensions, and cosmology. She is the founding director of sciences at Pioneer Works and the founding editor-in-chief of the magazine Pioneer Works Broadcast. She often contributes to news, documentaries, and radio, including as the presenter of the NOVA feature Black Hole Apocalypse on PBS and as a contributor to CBS, CNN, BBC, and NBC. She has authored books on black holes and the universe—Black Hole Blues, How the Universe Got its Spots, and Black Hole Survival Guide—as well as a PEN award–winning novel, A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines. You can find her current writings in Higher Dimensions.

This program is funded by the Simons Foundation International and administered by the Simons Foundation's Science, Society & Culture division.