Johann Bernoulli lezing 32
Maandag 3 april 2023, 19:30 uur, Aula Academiegebouw
The lecture can also be found on youtube.
Arjen Dijkstra
Director Tresor Leeuwarden
Title: Taking mathematics to the streets
Bernoulli and other Early Modern Mathematicians in Groningen and Friesland (ca. 1500-1800)
Abstract: In the early modern period mathematics and astronomy found their way into the curriculum of many universities, but also into the practices of many lay people. So too in the North of the Netherlands where two universities are closely connected, but they take quite different positions in the history of mathematics. The universities of Franeker (1585-1811) and of Groningen (founded 1614) were connected to each other but also to some remarkable mathematics and some very well-known mathematicians. At the same time some outstanding achievements can be found outside the direct boundaries of these academic institutions. In this lecture I will answer the question to what extent the development of mathematics in Franeker and Groningen is an integrated story. I will start my lecture with the tenure of Johann Bernoulli at Groningen University, which is still considered one of the high points in the more than 400 year history of this illustrious institution. But it is not the only landmark in the history of mathematics in this region. For example while Bernoulli lectured in Groningen, the posthumous works of Christiaan Huygens were being edited at Franeker University. The story will include the famous Eise Eisinga Planetarium (currently nominated as UNESCO World Heritage), some very good, but also some very poor professors in both Groningen and Friesland. I will talk about a well-known comet hunter and also about artisans in the North of the Netherlands who produced the best telescopes of the time. These mathematicians collected inspiring libraries, while others took mathematics to the streets – challenging their peers to mathematical duels to prove their prowess. By tracing these stories I will shed light on the development of mathematics and astronomy in the early modern period, and in this specific region of the Netherlands.
Since October 2022 Arjen Dijkstra is director of Tresoar, the largest Frisian heritage institution covering a large scientific library, a large collection of archives, and also documentation and objects about Frisian literature. Arjen Dijkstra studied history at the University of Groningen, specializing in cultural history and the history of science. In 2012 he obtained his PhD at the University of Twente. From 2011, Dijkstra was a lecturer at the University of Groningen and coordinated the University’s Student Academy. He also conducted historical research of the history of the Franeker Planetarium, culminating in a well-received biography of its builder Eise Eisinga (1744–1828). From 2018–2022 Dijkstra was director of the Groningen University Museum.
Deze Bernoulli lezing 2023 staat ook aangekondigd in de Bernoulli Gazet (2023), het blad voor Groningse Wiskunde Alumni.