Tom Hull
Encyclopedia
Tom Hull is an associate professor of mathematics
at Western New England University and is known for his expertise in the mathematics of paper folding
.
Prior to his appointment at Western New England, Hull taught at Merrimack College
. He has also been teaching at the Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics
for many years: as junior staff from 1991 to 1995, and as senior staff in 1998 to 2007. He spent his undergraduate years at Hampshire College
. Afterwards, Hull earned a MS and Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Rhode Island
. His dissertation was in graph theory
. Since graduating, he has been working on research problems in origami
-math and teaching origami-math classes.
Hull recently wrote a book on using origami to teach math. He has co-authored two non-math origami books: Origami, Plain and Simple and Russian Origami, and he is on the Board of Directors of OrigamiUSA
(a national non-profit arts organization). He is also featured in the 2010 Independent Lens
documentary Between the Folds.
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...
at Western New England University and is known for his expertise in the mathematics of paper folding
Mathematics of paper folding
The art of origami or paper folding has received a considerable amount of mathematical study. Fields of interest include a given paper model's flat-foldability and the use of paper folds to solve mathematical equations.-Flat folding:The construction of origami models is sometimes shown as crease...
.
Prior to his appointment at Western New England, Hull taught at Merrimack College
Merrimack College
Merrimack College is an independent college in the Roman Catholic, Augustinian tradition located in North Andover, Massachusetts, north of Boston, Massachusetts. It offers undergraduate degrees in business, education, science, engineering, and the liberal arts...
. He has also been teaching at the Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics
Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics
The Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics is a residential program for mathematically talented high school students. The program has been conducted each summer since 1971, with the exceptions of 1981 and 1996, and has more than 1500 alumni....
for many years: as junior staff from 1991 to 1995, and as senior staff in 1998 to 2007. He spent his undergraduate years at Hampshire College
Hampshire College
Hampshire College is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1965 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges in the Pioneer Valley: Amherst College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and the University of Massachusetts...
. Afterwards, Hull earned a MS and Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
. His dissertation was in graph theory
Graph theory
In mathematics and computer science, graph theory is the study of graphs, mathematical structures used to model pairwise relations between objects from a certain collection. A "graph" in this context refers to a collection of vertices or 'nodes' and a collection of edges that connect pairs of...
. Since graduating, he has been working on research problems in origami
Origami
is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, which started in the 17th century AD at the latest and was popularized outside Japan in the mid-1900s. It has since then evolved into a modern art form...
-math and teaching origami-math classes.
Hull recently wrote a book on using origami to teach math. He has co-authored two non-math origami books: Origami, Plain and Simple and Russian Origami, and he is on the Board of Directors of OrigamiUSA
OrigamiUSA
OrigamiUSA is the largest origami organization in the United States, with offices located at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. It was founded in 1980 by Michael Shall, Alice Gray, and Lillian Oppenheimer as the Friends of the Origami Center of America...
(a national non-profit arts organization). He is also featured in the 2010 Independent Lens
Independent Lens
Airing weekly on PBS through ITVS, the Emmy Award-winning series Independent Lens introduces new drama and documentary films made by independent filmmakers. Past seasons of Independent Lens have been presented by hosts Angela Bassett, Don Cheadle, Susan Sarandon, Edie Falco, Terrence Howard, Maggie...
documentary Between the Folds.
External links
- Tom's Homepage
- Tom's origami videos on Youtube
- Innovative Math: from Origami to Calculus. Report from a visit of Hull to Phillips Exeter AcademyPhillips Exeter AcademyPhillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
, April 14, 2009. - Between the Folds film web site