The 21st Louise and Richard K. Guy Lecture Series - Dr. Pamela E. Harris
Topic
How to Choose Your Own Mathematical Adventures
Mathematical discovery starts with a simple question: What happens if...?
Join internationally recognized mathematician, educator and researcher Dr. Pamela E. Harris for an engaging public lecture about the creative side of mathematics. Through personal stories and accessible examples, she'll explore how mathematicians develop new ideas, build collaborations and discover surprising connections between seemingly unrelated concepts.
No mathematical background required. Just curiosity!
Event Details:
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Attend in Person:
- MacEwan Hall Ballroom (3rd Floor MacEwan Students' Centre)
Doors Open: 4:30 p.m. (MT)
Lecture Begins: 5:00 p.m. (MT)
Attend Online:
Livestream begins at 5:00 p.m. (MT)
Event Website: MATH About Guy Lecture Series | DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS | Faculty of Science | University of Calgary
Speakers
Details
Abstract: What is mathematical research? How does a mathematician find problems to work on? How does one build mathematical collaborations? In this talk, I will share my journey to research mathematics, what it entails, how I have developed new research ideas, and how I have found my place within the mathematical community. Mathematical topics of discussion will include lattice point visibility, parking functions, and a connection between vector partition functions and juggling. No prior mathematical background on these topics is expected nor assumed as we will introduce all of the needed concepts from first principles. All that is needed is the willingness to wonder and ask the question: “what happens if…?”
Additional Information
Dr. Pamela E. Harris is a Professor of Mathematical Sciences and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Her research in algebraic combinatorics has produced over 100 peer‑reviewed publications. A Fellow of the American Mathematical Society and the Association for Women in Mathematics, Dr. Harris is an award‑winning educator, recognized with honors including the 2025 Louise Hay Award and the MAA Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award. She has mentored more than 140 undergraduate researchers and is the co-founder and President of Lathisms. Dr. Harris also cohosts the podcast Mathematically Uncensored and coauthors several books on equity and advocacy in mathematics.
The Louise and Richard K. Guy Lecture Series
The Lecture Series celebrates the joy of discovery and wonder in mathematics for everyone. The lecture series was a 90th birthday present from Louise Guy to Richard in recognition of his love of mathematics and his desire to share his passion with the world. Richard Guy is the author of over 100 publications including works in combinatorial game theory, number theory and graph theory. He strives to make mathematics accessible to all. In 2019, the Richard celebrated his 103rd birthday. Learn more about his life.
