Public Lecture: Some Very Queer Mathematics
Speaker: Professor Benjamin Burton
Affiliation: The University of Queensland
Abstract
Alan Turing was a mathematician with a remarkable legacy, spanning computing, codebreaking, artificial intelligence, and mathematical logic - much of which was done before the first programmable computer. This talk will explore Turing’s life and some of his most important and surprising results that still influence mathematics and computing today. It will be aimed at a mathematically curious audience with no need for any specialist background.
Biography
Benjamin Burton (he/him) is a Professor of Mathematics at The University of Queensland, where he teaches supercomputers how to untangle knots. His academic career spans geometry, cryptography, computer science and finance, and he has just finished serving as President of the International Olympiad in Informatics. Benjamin is a prominent advocate for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in STEM, and an award-winning and engaging speaker who makes deep mathematics accessible and enjoyable to a wide range of audiences.
About LGBTQIA+ STEM Celebration at The University of Queensland
Join us for an afternoon celebrating LGBTQIA+ researchers and their contributions across science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), featuring a research poster session followed by a free public lecture.
The first LGBTQIA+ STEM Researcher Showcase was held in 2025 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Alan Turing’s landmark 1950 paper, Computing Machinery and Intelligence. We are continuing the Showcase as an annual celebration of LGBTQIA+ people and their contributions across STEM.
This year’s event is generously supported by UQ’s School of Mathematics and Physics, School of the Environment, Faculty of Science and QUT’s School of Mathematical Sciences.
Venue
Room: 348
