Q&A w/ Francis Su
Francis Su, Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, joins us for a brief exchange. He authored Mathematics for Human Flourishing (Book of the Year 2020).
Are there one or two authors that have had an outsized influence on your work overall?
I don't think I can point to one author that's had a profound influence on me, but I've certainly been influenced by many. I especially like authors who bridge the gap between the head and heart, and can speak to the whole of my existence as a human being. Parker Palmer, Simone Weil, Victor Hugo are good examples in various genre — and perhaps their influence is evident in my Flourishing book.
Do you have a favorite novel or novelist or fiction genre?
My favorite novel is Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. The writing is exquisite, and the story ties together sweeping universal themes (law, grace, love, justice, redemption) in an intimate look at the moral transformation of Jean Valjean.
Can we expect more books from you in the future?
I hope so! Since pandemic teaching has been an adjustment and I'm tending to a newborn right now, I've put some writing projects on the back burner, but hope to get back to them soon!
