Janna Levin
Encyclopedia
Janna J. Levin is a theoretical cosmologist. She holds a PhD
in Theoretical Physics
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
granted in 1993 and a Bachelor of Arts
in Astronomy
and Physics
from Barnard College
granted in 1988. Much of her work deals with looking for evidence to support the proposal that our universe might be finite in size due to its having a nontrivial topology
(as outlined in this article). Other work includes black hole
s and chaos
. Since January 2004, she has been an assistant professor in astronomy
and physics
at Barnard College
.
, a historical novel
featuring Kurt Gödel
and Alan Turing
as characters. This book won several awards, including the prestigious PEN/Bingham Fellowship Prize for Writers, The MEA Mary Shelley Award for Outstanding Fictional Work, and was a runner-up for the PEN/Hemingway Prize
.
including the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art
and The Hayward Gallery
.
on NPR
on July 12, 2002.
She appeared as a guest on Stephen Colbert's
Comedy Central
show The Colbert Report on August 24, 2006.
She also appeared as the featured guest on the Speaking of Faith
radio show on February 22, 2009, where she discussed her book "A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines" with the show's host Krista Tippett.
Levin presented "The sound the universe makes: Janna Levin on TED.com" on March 1, 2011.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Theoretical Physics
Theoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena...
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
granted in 1993 and a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and 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...
from Barnard College
Barnard College
Barnard College is a private women's liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters. Founded in 1889, Barnard has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. The campus stretches along Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough...
granted in 1988. Much of her work deals with looking for evidence to support the proposal that our universe might be finite in size due to its having a nontrivial topology
Topology
Topology is a major area of mathematics concerned with properties that are preserved under continuous deformations of objects, such as deformations that involve stretching, but no tearing or gluing...
(as outlined in this article). Other work includes black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
s and chaos
Chaos theory
Chaos theory is a field of study in mathematics, with applications in several disciplines including physics, economics, biology, and philosophy. Chaos theory studies the behavior of dynamical systems that are highly sensitive to initial conditions, an effect which is popularly referred to as the...
. Since January 2004, she has been an assistant professor in astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and 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...
at Barnard College
Barnard College
Barnard College is a private women's liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters. Founded in 1889, Barnard has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. The campus stretches along Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough...
.
Books
Levin is the author of the popular science book How the Universe Got Its Spots (2002). In 2006 she published A Madman Dreams of Turing MachinesA Madman Dreams of Turing Machines
A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines is a book by Janna Levin which contrasts fictionalized accounts of the lives and ideas of Kurt Gödel and Alan Turing ....
, a historical novel
Historical novel
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a historical novel is-Development:An early example of historical prose fiction is Luó Guànzhōng's 14th century Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which covers one of the most important periods of Chinese history and left a lasting impact on Chinese culture.The...
featuring Kurt Gödel
Kurt Gödel
Kurt Friedrich Gödel was an Austrian logician, mathematician and philosopher. Later in his life he emigrated to the United States to escape the effects of World War II. One of the most significant logicians of all time, Gödel made an immense impact upon scientific and philosophical thinking in the...
and Alan Turing
Alan Turing
Alan Mathison Turing, OBE, FRS , was an English mathematician, logician, cryptanalyst, and computer scientist. He was highly influential in the development of computer science, providing a formalisation of the concepts of "algorithm" and "computation" with the Turing machine, which played a...
as characters. This book won several awards, including the prestigious PEN/Bingham Fellowship Prize for Writers, The MEA Mary Shelley Award for Outstanding Fictional Work, and was a runner-up for the PEN/Hemingway Prize
Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award
The Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award is awarded annually to a novel or book of short stories by an American author who has not previously published a book of fiction. The award is named after Ernest Hemingway and funded by the Ernest Hemingway Foundation, which has been administered by the Hemingway...
.
Art essays
Levin has written a series of essays to accompany exhibitions at several galleries around in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
including the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art
The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art
The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, known as The Ruskin, is an art school and research institute at the University of Oxford.Working collaboratively across two sites, the school provides undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in the study and production of visual art...
and The Hayward Gallery
Hayward Gallery
The Hayward Gallery is an art gallery within the Southbank Centre, part of an area of major arts venues on the South Bank of the River Thames, in central London, England. It is sited adjacent to the other Southbank Centre buildings and also the Royal National Theatre and British Film Institute...
.
Public appearances
Levin was featured on Talk of the NationTalk of the Nation
Talk of the Nation is a talk radio program based in the United States, produced by National Public Radio, and is broadcast nationally from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Its focus is current events and controversial issues....
on NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
on July 12, 2002.
She appeared as a guest on Stephen Colbert's
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
show The Colbert Report on August 24, 2006.
She also appeared as the featured guest on the Speaking of Faith
Speaking of Faith
On Being is a weekly public radio program about "religion, meaning, ethics, and ideas", produced by American Public Media...
radio show on February 22, 2009, where she discussed her book "A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines" with the show's host Krista Tippett.
Levin presented "The sound the universe makes: Janna Levin on TED.com" on March 1, 2011.