During the month of February 2000 I was the featured speaker for the UWM "Science Bag". In its twenty-eighth season, The Science Bag is a program in which UWM faculty members give science and mathematics presentations aimed at th e general public. School children are especially encouraged to attend. Speakers aim to be both informative and entertaining.

My presentations, which took place each Friday evening in February 2000 along with one Sunday matinee, were titled A Tangled World: the Mysteries of Knots. Everyone who has tied a shoelace or a necktie, or ha s attempted to untangle a garden hose, understands what a knot is. Most people, however, are not aware that there is a large and important branch of mathematics aimed at understanding these objects. During my presentations, we explored the basics of the subject and learned why scientists and mathematicians are interested in understanding knots.

If you missed my presentaions, or if you attended and want to learn more, try out some of these web sites:

· The most comprehensive source for knot theory is the KnotPlot Site.

· A nice site for beginners is A Fox’s Quick Introduction to Knot Theory.

· Another fun site for beginners is Knot Theory.

· A "museum" of artwork involving knots may be found at The Knot Shoppe:

· A practical guide to knots is provided by a group of Boy Scouts from East Sussex, UK at Get Knotted! Animated Knots for Scouts.

· A discussion of the tying of neckties provided by physicist Thomas Fink.

For the complete schedule of the 2002-2003 Science Bag Talks, click here