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A professor of Physics at the University of Mary Washington, Dr. Atalay contends that genuinely dramatic and lasting changes in the arts and sciences are narrowly associated with the legacies of only a few exceptionally gifted individuals who transcend ordinary genius, while other less substantial developments in these disciplines occur gradually and incrementally as a result of the endeavors of more numerous journeymen scientists and musicians.
Dr. Atalay’s lecture, sponsored by the Physics Department, will examine the patterns of creativity of the truly gifted practitioners of these ostensibly disparate fields.
Masterworks in the arts and sciences already speak eloquently for themselves, he said, but learning the inter-dynamics of the fields, along with the modus operandi of supremely gifted individuals, will result in an appreciation of their works at an entirely different level. An organic history of the two fields will also be presented.
A native of Turkey, Dr. Atalay speaks around the world on art, archaeology, astrophysics and atomic physics, which he classifies as “A-subjects.”
His highly acclaimed book, “Math and the Mona Lisa,” published by Smithsonian Books, has been printed in 12 languages.
Last year, Dr. Atalay gave a well received talk on the book at SUNY Fredonia. Dr. Atalay is the co-author of “Leonardo’s University,” published in January by National Geographic Books and anointed as “one of the 10 must-have books for the year” by the Encyclopedia Britannica blog writer.
His impressive credentials include post-doctoral work in theoretical physics at Georgetown, University of California - Berkeley, Princeton and Oxford. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Virginia and as a member of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton. His early education was received at St. Andrew’s School, the Delaware prep school where the 1989 Robin Williams motion picture “Dead Poets Society” was filmed. The author will also be available to sign books.
