Michael Joswig
Please name three things that you spontaneously connect to Albert Einstein!
The photo where he’s sticking his tongue out. The equation on mass-energy equivalence. An etching by Simon Dittrich which my parents gave me when I was at school.
What do you do first thing in the morning when you arrive at your workplace, and why?
I drink a cup of tea. While I’m doing that, I read my emails. The latter is unavoidable, and the tea makes it more relaxing.
What would your research project look like if it was a piece of art?
My research is concerned with geometric objects (e.g. convex polytopes). Platonic solids have inspired artists at various periods in history. But visualisation doesn’t have to be an end in itself; it can also help researchers get closer to the mathematical core. So mathematical research and art can be incredibly compatible with one another.
What characteristics distinguish researchers from other people?
Their degree of curiosity and the will to focus.
July 2018