Andrew S.I.D. Lang
Encyclopedia
Andrew Stuart Ian Donald Lang, PNF
, FDI (born 3 July 1970) is a British
mathematical physicist and Professor of Mathematics at Oral Roberts University
. He has received a number of awards, including being named a 2010 DaVinci Institute Fellow for his groundbreaking work in virtual worlds. He is an open science advocate and has published in many academic fields, including mathematics
, physics
, chemistry
, and virtual worlds. He is also recognized for his expertise in the relationships between science and science fiction and science and religion.
Lang is married to Kelly Jean Lang, with whom he has four children.
, Kent
, on 3 July 1970 to Andrew Taig Lang, a nuclear power station construction engineer and Ann Alice Louise Seale. Shortly after Lang was born, the family moved to Lydd
, Kent, near to where his father worked at the Dungeness nuclear power station, where he lived with his three older siblings, Robert, Dawn, and Peter, from his mother's previous marriage.
Lang attended Lydd Primary School from 1976 to 1982. From the age of twelve, he attended John Southland's Community Comprehensive School (now named The Marsh Academy
) where he received A-levels in mathematics
, physics
, and chemistry
.
Lang earned his B.Sc. in mathematical physics
from the University of Kent
, Canterbury in 1991, writing an undergraduate dissertation on “Stellar Evolution and Black Holes.” It was at Canterbury
, that he met his future wife Kelly, a student at the University of Tulsa
, who was studying for a year at Canterbury.
Lang earned his M.S. degree in applied mathematics
from the University of Tulsa
in 1993, writing a thesis on “Black Holes and Singularities,” under geometer Kevin O'Neil. Lang earned his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Missouri
in 1998, writing a dissertation on “The Casimir Effect
,” under mathematical physicist Adam Helfer.
he began collaborating with engineering professor Dominic Halsmer, deriving the optimal design for passive coning attenuators for spinning spacecraft under thrust.
In 2003, he was promoted to Associate Professor. Around the same time he began working with Joerg Gablonsky, an engineer at Boeing
, deriving the optimum angle to shoot a free throw.
In 2007, he was promoted to Professor (having received tenure the previous year). His recent research has focused on virtual worlds and the Open Notebook Science Challenge
.
Lang is known for his ability to teach and do research in several academic disciplines. In his first twelve years at Oral Roberts University, he taught sixteen different classes in disciplines ranging from mathematics and physics to history
and English
.
and publishes his related research online in as near to real time as possible. He has participated in other open science projects including the Open Dinosaur Project. He promotes the use of Open Data
, particularly in science, is a member of the Blue Obelisk
movement, and publishes in Open Access journals when possible.
Project NExT
Project NExT is a program sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America to aid in the professional development of mathematicians, statisticians, and mathematics educators after they receive their PhDs. It involves workshops and lectures on teaching, academic research, academic scholarship,...
, FDI (born 3 July 1970) is a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
mathematical physicist and Professor of Mathematics at Oral Roberts University
Oral Roberts University
Oral Roberts University , based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the United States, is an interdenominational, Charismatic Christian, comprehensive university with an enrollment of about 3,790 students from 49 U.S. states along with a significant number of international students from 70 countries...
. He has received a number of awards, including being named a 2010 DaVinci Institute Fellow for his groundbreaking work in virtual worlds. He is an open science advocate and has published in many academic fields, including mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, and virtual worlds. He is also recognized for his expertise in the relationships between science and science fiction and science and religion.
Lang is married to Kelly Jean Lang, with whom he has four children.
Early life and education
Andrew Lang was born in FolkestoneFolkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, on 3 July 1970 to Andrew Taig Lang, a nuclear power station construction engineer and Ann Alice Louise Seale. Shortly after Lang was born, the family moved to Lydd
Lydd
Lydd is a town in Kent, England, lying on the Romney Marsh. It is one of the larger towns on the Marsh, and the most southerly town in Kent. Actually located on Denge Marsh, Lydd was one of the first sandy islands to form as the bay evolved into what is now called the Romney Marsh...
, Kent, near to where his father worked at the Dungeness nuclear power station, where he lived with his three older siblings, Robert, Dawn, and Peter, from his mother's previous marriage.
Lang attended Lydd Primary School from 1976 to 1982. From the age of twelve, he attended John Southland's Community Comprehensive School (now named The Marsh Academy
New Romney
New Romney is a small town in Kent, England, on the edge of Romney Marsh, an area of flat, rich agricultural land reclaimed from the sea after the harbour began to be silted up. New Romney was once a sea port, with the harbour adjacent to the church, but is now more than a mile from the sea...
) where he received A-levels in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, and chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
.
Lang earned his B.Sc. in mathematical physics
Mathematical physics
Mathematical physics refers to development of mathematical methods for application to problems in physics. The Journal of Mathematical Physics defines this area as: "the application of mathematics to problems in physics and the development of mathematical methods suitable for such applications and...
from the University of Kent
University of Kent
The University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
, Canterbury in 1991, writing an undergraduate dissertation on “Stellar Evolution and Black Holes.” It was at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, that he met his future wife Kelly, a student at the University of Tulsa
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
, who was studying for a year at Canterbury.
Lang earned his M.S. degree in applied mathematics
Applied mathematics
Applied mathematics is a branch of mathematics that concerns itself with mathematical methods that are typically used in science, engineering, business, and industry. Thus, "applied mathematics" is a mathematical science with specialized knowledge...
from the University of Tulsa
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
in 1993, writing a thesis on “Black Holes and Singularities,” under geometer Kevin O'Neil. Lang earned his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
in 1998, writing a dissertation on “The Casimir Effect
Casimir effect
In quantum field theory, the Casimir effect and the Casimir–Polder force are physical forces arising from a quantized field. The typical example is of two uncharged metallic plates in a vacuum, like capacitors placed a few micrometers apart, without any external electromagnetic field...
,” under mathematical physicist Adam Helfer.
Career
In 1998, Lang joined Oral Roberts University as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics. While continuing research in quantum field theoryQuantum field theory
Quantum field theory provides a theoretical framework for constructing quantum mechanical models of systems classically parametrized by an infinite number of dynamical degrees of freedom, that is, fields and many-body systems. It is the natural and quantitative language of particle physics and...
he began collaborating with engineering professor Dominic Halsmer, deriving the optimal design for passive coning attenuators for spinning spacecraft under thrust.
In 2003, he was promoted to Associate Professor. Around the same time he began working with Joerg Gablonsky, an engineer at Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
, deriving the optimum angle to shoot a free throw.
In 2007, he was promoted to Professor (having received tenure the previous year). His recent research has focused on virtual worlds and the Open Notebook Science Challenge
Open Notebook Science Challenge
The Open Notebook Science Challenge is a crowdsourcing research project which collects measurements of the non-aqueous solubility of organic compounds and publishes these as open data; findings are reported in an open notebook science manner...
.
Lang is known for his ability to teach and do research in several academic disciplines. In his first twelve years at Oral Roberts University, he taught sixteen different classes in disciplines ranging from mathematics and physics to history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Open science advocacy
Lang is a judge for the Open Notebook Science ChallengeOpen Notebook Science Challenge
The Open Notebook Science Challenge is a crowdsourcing research project which collects measurements of the non-aqueous solubility of organic compounds and publishes these as open data; findings are reported in an open notebook science manner...
and publishes his related research online in as near to real time as possible. He has participated in other open science projects including the Open Dinosaur Project. He promotes the use of Open Data
Open Data
Open data is the idea that certain data should be freely available to everyone to use and republish as they wish, without restrictions from copyright, patents or other mechanisms of control. The goals of the open data movement are similar to those of other "Open" movements such as open source, open...
, particularly in science, is a member of the Blue Obelisk
Blue Obelisk
Blue Obelisk is an informal group of chemists who promote Open Data, Open Source, and Open Standards; it was initiated by Peter Murray-Rust and others in 2005...
movement, and publishes in Open Access journals when possible.
Awards and honors
- 2000 Project NexT Fellow
- 2007 Scholar of the Year, Oral Roberts University
- 2010 DaVinci Institute Fellow
Selected works
- Vincent E Dimiceli, Andrew S I D Lang, LeighAnne Locke (2010) Teaching calculus with Wolfram|Alpha International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology 41: 8.
- Andrew S I D Lang, Jean-Claude Bradley (2009) Chemistry in Second Life Chemistry Central Journal 3: 14. October
- Andrew S I D Lang, David C Kobilnyk (2009) Visualizing Atomic Orbitals Using Second Life Journal of Virtual Worlds Research 1: 6. April
- J C Bradley, R J Lancashire, A S I D Lang, A J Williams (2009) The Spectral Game: leveraging Open Data and crowdsourcing for education Journal of Cheminformatics 1: 9. June
- Jean-Claude Bradley, Rajarshi Guha, Andrew Lang, Pierre Lindenbaum, Cameron Neylon, Antony Williams, Egon Willighagen (2009) Beautifying Data in the Real World. In: Beautiful Data: The Stories Behind Elegant Data Solutions. Edited by:Toby Segaran and Jeff Hammerbacher. O’Reilly Media. (ISBN13: 9780596157111)
External links
- Lang's Google profile
- Lang's Faculty Page at Oral Roberts University
- The Spectral Game