Edward Burger

{{short description|American mathematician}} {{similar names|Edward Berger (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Edward B. Burger | image = <!-- Deleted image removed: frameless --> | image_size = 250px | caption = Burger in Southwestern portrait, July 2013 | order = 15th | title = President of Southwestern University | term_start = 2013 | term_end = 2020 | predecessor = Jake B. Schrum | successor = Laura Skandera Trombley | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|12|10}} | birth_place = Yorktown Heights, New York, U.S. | module = {{Infobox academic | child=yes | discipline = Number theory | workplaces = St. David's Foundation<br />Southwestern University<br />Williams College<br />Baylor University | alma_mater = Connecticut College (BA)<br />University of Texas at Austin (PhD) | thesis_title = | thesis_url = | thesis_year = | doctoral_advisor = | academic_advisors = | doctoral_students = | notable_students = }} }} '''Edward Bruce Burger''' (born December 10, 1964)<ref>Cataloging-in-Publication Data in: {{cite book | last = Burger | first = Edward | title = Extending the Frontiers of Mathematics | publisher = Key College | year = 2007 | isbn = 978-1-59757-042-8 }}</ref><ref name="TimesUnion">Grondahl, Paul. "[http://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/webpages4/archives/tu_burger_edward.html Math for laughs all in author's equation]". ''Times Union''. October 16, 2005. Retrieved May 2, 2008.</ref> is an American mathematician and President Emeritus of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.southwestern.edu/live/news/7715-edward-b-burger-named-southwesterns-15th-president|title=Edward B. Burger Named Southwestern's 15th President}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Edward Burger Steps Down as Southwestern University President |url=https://www.southwestern.edu/live/news/13523-edward-burger-steps-down-as-southwestern |website=www.southwestern.edu |language=en}}</ref> Previously, he was the Francis Christopher Oakley Third Century Professor of Mathematics at Williams College, and the Robert Foster Cherry Professor for Great Teaching at Baylor University. He also had been named to a single-year-appointment as vice provost of strategic educational initiatives at Baylor University in February 2011.<ref>Press release: "[http://www.baylor.edu/pr/news.php?action=story&story=89089 ''Executive Vice President and Provost Elizabeth Davis Announces One-Year Appointment of Dr. Edward Burger As Vice Provost for Strategic Educational Initiatives'']". Baylor University. February 24, 2011. Retrieved February 26, 2011.</ref> He currently serves as the president and CEO of St. David's Foundation.<ref name="stdavidsfoundation.org">{{cite web |last1=Foundation |first1=St David's |title=St. David's Foundation {{!}} St. David's Foundation Announces New Leader |url=https://stdavidsfoundation.org/2019/09/04/newceoannouncement/ |website=St. David's Foundation}}</ref>

Burger has been honored as a leader in education. He has been a keynote speaker, invited special session speaker, or the conference chair at a number of American Mathematical Society, Mathematical Association of America, and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics conferences.

During the late 1980s Burger was featured at a stand-up comedy club in Austin, Texas and also was an 'independent contractor', writing for Jay Leno.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thebells.umhb.edu/2010/11/16/mathematician-former-joke-writer-for-jay-leno-speaks/|title=Mathematician, former joke writer for Jay Leno speaks|website=UMHB The Bells Online|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-18}}</ref> Today he has a weekly program on higher education, thinking, and learning produced by NPR's Austin affiliate KUT called Higher ED.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kut.org/topic/higher-ed|title=Higher Ed|website=www.kut.org|language=en|access-date=2019-09-18}}</ref>

==Education== Burger graduated from Connecticut College in 1985, where he had earned B.A., ''summa cum laude'', with distinction in mathematics.<ref name="WCFacultyPage">Burger, Edward B. [http://www.williams.edu/Mathematics/eburger/index.www.html Faculty page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505050638/http://www.williams.edu/Mathematics/eburger/index.www.html |date=2008-05-05 }}. Williams College. September 9, 1999. Retrieved May 1, 2008.</ref> In 1990, he was awarded his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin.<ref name="WCFacultyPage" /> He did his postdoctoral work at the University of Waterloo in Canada.<ref>Press release: "[http://www.williams.edu/admin/news/releases.php?id=1015 ''Hate Math?'' This Book is for You! ''Coincidences, Chaos, and All That Math Jazz'']". Williams College. September 12, 2005. Retrieved May 1, 2008.</ref> In 2013 he was awarded an LL.D. from Williams College.<ref>Press release: "[https://communications.williams.edu/news-releases/3_13_2013_honorarydegrees/]" Williams College. March 13, 2013.</ref>

==Career==

===Research=== His research interests include algebraic number theory, Diophantine analysis, ''p''-adic analysis, geometry of numbers, and the theory of continued fractions.<ref name="WCFacultyPage" /><ref name="Guadino">Press release: "[http://www.williams.edu/admin/news/releases/1636 Mathematician Edward B. Burger Named Gaudino Scholar at Williams] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503121027/http://www.williams.edu/admin/news/releases/1636 |date=2008-05-03 }}". April 23, 2008. Retrieved May 1, 2008.</ref> He teaches abstract algebra, "The Art of Creating Mathematics", and Diophantine analysis.<ref name="Guadino" />

===Teaching=== He has taught or has been a visiting scholar at The University of Texas at Austin, Westminster College, James Madison University, the University of Colorado at Boulder, Concordia University Texas, Baylor University, and the Macquarie University in Australia.<ref name="Guadino" />

Burger is a pioneer in rich, multimedia Internet lectures that, together with written material, form an electronic textbook.<ref name="NYTimesMag">Traub, James. "[https://www.nytimes.com/library/magazine/home/20001119mag-onlineu.html?Partner=isyndicate&RefId=,SzmgW_jEFnnnuuu2mY This Campus Is Being Simulated]". ''New York Times Magazine''. November 19, 2000. Retrieved May 1, 2008.</ref> Together with [http://www.thinkwell.com/ Thinkwell], Burger "crafted the first-ever virtual, CD-ROM video, interactive, mathematics texts/courses"<ref>Burger, Edward B. "[http://www.williams.edu/Mathematics/eburger/calc.html Virtual Video Interactive WEB-based Texts]". Williams College. Retrieved May 2, 2008.</ref> published over the World Wide Web. Additionally, his lesson tutorial videos earned publisher [https://web.archive.org/web/20080502202132/http://www.hrw.com/ Holt, Rinehart and Winston] one of the 2007 ''Awards of Excellence''<ref name="TLPub">Poftak, Amy and Susan McLester. [http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.php?articleID=196604910 Awards of Excellence] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503100941/http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.php?articleID=196604910 |date=2008-05-03 }}. ''Technology & Learning''. December 15, 2007. Retrieved May 1, 2008.</ref> from ''Technology & Learning'', an academic publication.

Burger has written and starred in number of educational videos, including the 24-lecture video series ''[https://archive.today/20130203151413/http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursedesclong2.aspx?cid=1499 Zero to Infinity: A History of Numbers]'' and ''[https://archive.today/20130203120050/http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursedesclong2.aspx?cid=1495 An Introduction to Number Theory]''. He has delivered more than 400 lectures worldwide and has appeared on more than 40 radio and TV programs including ''ABC News Now'' on WABC-TV in New York and National Public Radio.<ref name="Guadino" /> He starred in the "Mathletes" episode of NBC's "Science of the Winter Olympics" series shown on the Today Show and throughout the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

In recognition for his work in multimedia education technology, The Association of Educational Publishers awarded Burger with the 2007 ''Distinguished Achievement Award'' for Educational Video Technology.<ref name="Honors">Burger, Edward B. "[http://www.williams.edu/Mathematics/eburger/honors.html Honors and Awards]". Williams College. Retrieved May 1, 2008.</ref>

Burger feels that "math trauma" is commonly inflicted upon America's elementary and middle-school students, particularly girls, having received a seventh-grade report card stating: "Eddie is a nice boy, but he'll never do well in math."<ref name="TimesUnion"/> He offers his students "challenging questions for which the solution is by no means apparent".<ref name="Creativity">Stern, Zelda. [http://www.williams.edu/home/focus/creativity/ Can Creativity Be Taught?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503121042/http://www.williams.edu/home/focus/creativity/ |date=2008-05-03 }} ''Williams Alumni Review''. June 2006. Retrieved May 1, 2008.</ref> For example, when teaching students about topology, he asked students if it is "possible to take a cord of rope {{convert|6|ft|m}} long and tie it snugly around your right ankle and your left ankle, take off your pants, turn them inside out, and put your pants back on without ever cutting the rope?" He proceeded to demonstrate the solution to that challenge, wearing huge Boston Red Sox boxer shorts under his trousers, at the Boston Public Library in the summer of 2005.<ref name="GlobeFun">Palmer, Lisa. "[https://archive.boston.com/news/globe/education/articles/2005/10/16/mathematics_made_fun/ Mathematics made fun: Williams professor takes creative approach]". ''The Boston Globe''. October 16, 2005. Retrieved May 1, 2008.</ref>

In addition to his math courses, Burger teaches a short course in comedy writing during the winter study program at Williams. Combining math with comedy comes from his days as a stand-up comic at the [http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A530510 Laff Stop Comedy Club] in Austin in the late-1980s.<ref name="TimesUnion" />

=== Publications === Burger has written 12 books and has had more than 30 papers published in scholarly journals.<ref name="Publications">Burger, Edward B. "[http://www.williams.edu/go/math/eburger/pub.html Publications] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505053338/http://www.williams.edu/go/math/eburger/pub.html |date=2008-05-05 }}". Williams College. Retrieved May 1, 2008.</ref> With Michael Starbird, he coauthored [http://www.williams.edu/Mathematics/eburger/texts2.html ''The Heart of Mathematics: An invitation to effective thinking''], for which they won a 2001 Robert W. Hamilton Book Award, and ''Coincidences, Chaos, and All That Math Jazz,'', a humorous look at mathematics filed under both ''math'' and ''humor'' in the Library of Congress catalog.<ref name="GlobeFun"/> Burger is also an associate editor for the American Mathematical Monthly and a member of the editorial board for [AK Peters Publishing].<ref name="Guadino" />

Some of the books and papers he has authored or co-authored include:<ref name="Books">Burger, Edward B. "[http://www.williams.edu/Mathematics/eburger/books.html Books authored by and videos starring E.B. Burger]". Williams College. Retrieved May 2, 2008.</ref><ref name="Pubications">Burger, Edward B. "[http://www.williams.edu/Mathematics/eburger/pub.html Journal Publications]". Williams College. Retrieved May 2, 2008.</ref> * {{Google books|id=tzNeLj6DgXQC&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33&dq=Edward+B.+Burger&source=web&ots=oHwkDc8Lbz&sig=6D8DSHCHQ_fZS3ZRlJFpZb9E7gM&hl=en|title="Badly Approximable Systems and Inhomogeneous Approximation Over Number Fields"}}, 1993 * "[http://www.williams.edu/Mathematics/eburger/pleasures.pdf Pleasures vs. Problems]", February 2000 * ''Exploring the Number Jungle: A Journey into Diophantine Analysis'' (Student Mathematical Library, V. 8), {{ISBN|0-8218-2640-9}}, July 2000 * "[http://www.williams.edu/Mathematics/eburger/BurgerMathHorizons.pdf 'Math Forum'—I couldn't keep my distance: A mathematical seduction], February 2002 * ''The Joy of Thinking: The Beauty and Power of Classical Mathematical Ideas: Part 1 & 2'' (The Great Courses – Science & Mathematics), {{ASIN|B000KHB84U|date=2003}} * ''Making Transcendence Transparent: An intuitive approach to classical transcendental number theory'', {{ISBN|0-387-21444-5}}, July 2004 * {{Google books|id=M-qK8anbZmwC|title=''The Heart of Mathematics: An Invitation to Effective Thinking''}}, {{ISBN|1-931914-41-9}}, 2004 * ''Coincidences, Chaos, and All That Math Jazz: Making Light of Weighty Ideas'', {{ISBN|0-393-05945-6}}, August 2005 * ''Matematicas'', {{ISBN|0-03-092628-9}}, 2007 * ''Mathematics: Course 2'', Holt, {{ISBN|0-03-038512-1}}, January 2007 * ''Algebra 1'', Holt, {{ISBN|0-03-035827-2}}, January 2007 * ''Extending the Frontiers of Mathematics: Inquiries into proof and argumentation'', {{ISBN|1-59757-042-7}}, March 2007 * ''Algebra 2'', Holt, {{ISBN|0-03-035829-9}}, August 2007 * [https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691156668/the-5-elements-of-effective-thinking ''The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking''], (with Michael Starbird) published by Princeton University Press in September 2012, {{ISBN|978-0-691-15666-8}}

Additionally, Burger has created virtual video textbooks on CD-ROM and on the web for [http://www.thinkwell.com Thinkwell] on the topics of "College Algebra", 2000; "Pre-Calculus", 2000; "Calculus", 2001; "Intermediate Algebra", 2001; "Beginning Algebra", 2004; "Trigonometry", 2006; "Prealgebra", 2007; and "Algebra II", 2011.

=== Professional positions === Burger has held the following professional positions:<ref name="Honors"/><ref name="Positions">Burger, Edward B. "[http://www.williams.edu/Mathematics/eburger/prof.html Professional Positions]". Williams College. Retrieved May 1, 2008.</ref> ; University of Texas at Austin : Visiting lecturer, Summer 1990; Visiting Assistant Professor, Fall 1994; Visiting Scholar, Summer 1997 ; University of Waterloo, Canada : Postdoctoral fellow, 1990–1991 ; Williams College : Assistant professor, 1990–1996; associate professor, 1997–2000; professor of mathematics, 2001–2013; chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, 2003–2006; Gaudino Scholar, 2008–2010; Lissack Professor for Social Responsibility and Personal Ethics, 2010–2012; Francis Christopher Oakley Third Century Professor of Mathematics, 2012–2013 ; James Madison University; Macquarie University, Australia : Visiting fellow, summer 1999 ; Westminster College : Genevieve W. Gore Distinguished Resident, March 2001 ; [https://web.archive.org/web/20080505083455/http://learn.arc.nasa.gov/products/products01/ltp_html/individual_pages/takeoffmass.html Mass Interaction] : Mathematics consultant, summer 2001 ; Texas Christian University : Cecil and Ida Green Honors Professor, fall 2001 ; American Mathematical Monthly : Associate editor, 2002–present ; [http://www.educationaladvancementfoundation.org/ The Educational Advancement Foundation] : Member of the board of trustees, 2004–2008 ; [https://web.archive.org/web/20070817085441/http://akpeters.com/ AK Peters Publishing] : Member of the editorial board, 2005–present ; NUMB3RS in the Classroom Project, CBS-TV/Paramount Studios/Texas Instruments : Mathematics advisor, 2005–2007 ;The Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts :Member of the board, 2009–present ;Baylor University :Robert Foster Cherry Professor for Great Teaching, 2010–2012 :Vice provost for strategic educational initiatives, 2011–2012 ;Southwestern University :15th president, 2013–2020 ;St. David's Foundation :President and CEO<ref name="stdavidsfoundation.org"/>

== Selected honors and awards == Some of the honors and awards Burger has received include: * 2014 Elected to [http://www.pstx.org The Philosophical Society of Texas].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.southwestern.edu/live/news/10151-edward-burger-elected-to-philosophical-society-of|title=Edward Burger Elected to Philosophical Society of Texas}}</ref> *2013 Awarded an Honorary Degree (Doctor of Laws) from [https://communications.williams.edu/news-releases/3_13_2013_honorarydegrees/ Williams College]. * 2013 Fellow of the American Mathematical Society.<ref>[http://www.ams.org/profession/fellows-list List of Fellows of the American Mathematical Society], retrieved 2012-11-10.</ref> * 2012 "Global Hero in Education", Named by [http://dailyedventures.com/?p=7321 Microsoft Corporation]<ref name="Honors" /> * 2010 Telly Award, for the "Mathletes" episode of the NBC-Universal television series "The Science of the Olympic Winter Games" (the entire series won a 2011 Emmy Award) <ref name="Honors" /> * 2010 ''Game Changer'', Named by The Huffington Post; "HuffPost's Game Changers salutes 100 innovators, visionaries, mavericks, and leaders who are reshaping their fields and changing the world."<ref name="Honors"/> * 2010 ''Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching'' from Baylor University<ref name="Honors"/> * 2007 ''Award of Excellence'', for "educational mathematics videos that break new ground", ''Technology & Learning'' magazine<ref name="Honors" /> * 2007 ''Distinguished Achievement Award'', for Educational Video Technology, The Association of Educational Publishers<ref name="Honors" /> * 2006 "100 Best of America", Listed in Reader's Digest Annual Special Issue as Best Math Teacher<ref name="Honors" /> * 2006 Lester R. Ford Award for the expository article ''A Tail of Two Palindromes''<ref name="Burger Palindromes Tail">{{cite journal|author=Burger, Edward B.|title=A Tail of Two Palindromes|journal=Amer. Math. Monthly|volume=112|year=2005|issue=4|pages=311–321|url=http://www.maa.org/programs/maa-awards/writing-awards/a-tail-of-two-palindromes|doi=10.2307/30037467|jstor=30037467}}</ref> * 2003 Residence Life Academic Teaching Award, University of Colorado at Boulder<ref name="Honors" /> * 2001 Robert W. Hamilton Book Award, for "''The Heart of Mathematics''"<ref name="Honors" /> * 1988 Mathematics Teaching Award, The University of Texas at Austin<ref name="Honors" />

Burger is the Francis Christopher Oakley Third Century Professor of Mathematics and was the Lissack Professor for Social Responsibility and Personal Ethics (2010–2012) <ref name="Honors"/> and the Gaudino Scholar (2008–2010)<ref name="Guadino"/> at Williams College, where he was also awarded the 2007 ''Nelson Bushnell Prize'' for Scholarship and Teaching.<ref name="Honors" />

Burger has been honored by The Mathematical Association of America on several occasions: 2001, Deborah and Franklin Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics;<ref name=web>{{Cite web|url=https://maa.org/member-communities/maa-awards/teaching-awards/section-award|title=Recipients of the Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics; Mathematical Association of America|website=www.maa.org|access-date=2024-10-07|archive-date=2024-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240608175318/https://maa.org/member-communities/maa-awards/teaching-awards/section-award|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="DFTH">{{Cite web |url=http://www.maa.org/Awards/Haimo_Recipients.html |title=The Mathematical Association of America's ''Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics'' |access-date=2008-05-02 |archive-date=2007-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930023826/http://www.maa.org/awards/Haimo_Recipients.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> 2001–2003, George Pólya lecturer;<ref name="Polya">[http://www.maa.org/Awards/polyalecturers.html The Mathematical Association of America's ''George Pólya Lecturers'']</ref> 2004, ''Chauvenet Prize'';<ref name="MAA Chauvenet Prizes">{{cite web | title=Chauvenet Prizes | website=Mathematical Association of America | url=https://www.maa.org/programs-and-communities/member-communities/maa-awards/writing-awards/chauvenet-prizes | access-date=2022-11-15 | archive-date=2017-06-28 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170628175100/http://maa.org/programs/maa-awards/writing-awards/chauvenet-prizes | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Burger 2000 Diophantine Champions">{{cite journal | last=Burger | first=Edward B. | title=Diophantine Olympics and World Champions: Polynomials and Primes Down Under | journal=The American Mathematical Monthly | publisher=Informa UK Limited | volume=107 | issue=9 | year=2000 | issn=0002-9890 | doi=10.1080/00029890.2000.12005276 | pages=822–829| s2cid=15874525 }}</ref> and 2006, ''Lester R. Ford Award''<ref name="LRFord">[http://www.maa.org/awards/ford.html The Mathematical Association of America's ''The Lester R. Ford Award''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130702012306/http://www.maa.org/awards/ford.html |date=2013-07-02 }}. Retrieved May 1, 2008.</ref><ref name="Burger Palindromes Tail"/>

==See also== * List of University of Waterloo people

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == * {{MathGenealogy|45716}}

{{Chauvenet Prize recipients}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burger, Edward B.}} Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American mathematicians Category:21st-century American mathematicians Category:Connecticut College alumni Category:Presidents of Southwestern University Category:University of Texas at Austin College of Natural Sciences alumni Category:Williams College faculty Category:Fellows of the American Mathematical Society Category:People from Georgetown, Texas