Les Grandes Conférences du CRM

	"Quand la réalité déjoue l'intuition" by Jean-Marie De Koninck Wednesday March 29, 2006 at 8:00 p.m. Photos of the event
	Pavillon Jean-Coutu 2940 chemin Polytechnique Salle S1-151
	Free admission and vin d'honneur

Abstract

It is widely-known that intuition is the core of mathematician's activities. However, faced with certain problems, intuition can be misleading. The solution is often well hidden, and intuition not only does not always lead to it, it can even make it more remote. With selected examples in geometry, in probability theory and number theory, we will point out some pitfalls mathematicans should watch out for. This will be illustrated by presenting two conjectures, each totally plausible, and establishing that at least one of them must be false.

Biography

Jean-Marie De Koninck is professor at the Département de mathématiques et de statistique of the Université Laval since 1972. Author of five books and approximately fifty scientific research papers, he hosted and did research on 29 episodes of the TV series "C'est mathématique!" (2000, 2001) broadcasted on Canal Z, Canal Savoir and TFO.

Swimming analyst for Radio-Canada television since the 1976 Olympic Games, and also a swimming coach at his university, he decided in 1984 on an original way to fund his team: he had his swimmers drive people home when they had too much to drink. This experience led to the creation of Operation Red Nose that has now crossed the boarders.

During his career, Professor De Koninck received many honors and distinctions among which are the Order of Canada in 1994, the Ordre national du Québec in 1999, and the 2004 Adrien-Pouliot Prize of the Canadian Mathematical Society. In January 2006, he was also nominated "Scientist of the Year 2005" by Radio-Canada's scientific radio show Années lumières.