SUNNYVALE, Calif. - Dr. Keith Devlin, renowned
mathematician and the "Math Guy" of National Public Radio,
will speak at Sunnyvale Public Library on "How Mathematics
Changed Us".  Devlin's talk will be Tuesday, June 9, at 7
p.m., and is free and open to all.

    At three distinct stages in the development of modern
society, a mathematical development changed - in a
fundamental, dramatic and revolutionary way - how people
understand the world and live their lives.  Those advances
occurred around 5,000 B.C., in the 16th century, and in the
17th century.  A fourth such change may be taking place
during our lifetime, but only history will say if this is
really the case.  Devlin will look at how human life and
cognition changed on each of those three occasions, with the
main focus being risk-management and a view of the future
that is enabled through the use of effective risk-management
techniques.

    Devlin is the author of The Math Gene: How Mathematical
Thinking Evolved and Why Numbers Are Like Gossip.  His talk
at the Library will be based on his most recent book, The
Unfinished Game: Pascal, Fermat and the Seventeenth Century
Letter that Made the World Modern.  Devlin is a co-founder
and executive director of Stanford University's H-STAR
Institute, and a consulting professor in Stanford's
Department of Mathematics.  He is a World Economic Forum
Fellow and a Fellow of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science.  He has written 28 books and has
published more than 80 research articles.  Devlin has
received the Pythagoras Prize, the Peano Prize, the Carl
Sagan Award and the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics
Communications Award.

    The Library is located at 665 W. Olive Ave., across from
City Hall.  Free parking is always available, and VTA line
54 serves the Library.  For more information about Library
services and activities, visit www.sunnyvalelibrary.org or
call the Reference Desk at (408) 730-7300, TDD (408)
730-7501.