Ivars Peterson: Osher Fellows

Ivars Peterson is a widely respected science journalist, author, and self-described “mathematical tourist.” He is currently director of publications at the Mathematical Association of America. Peterson taught high school science and math for eight years. As a high school teacher, he was involved with the American Association of Physics Teachers, gave presentations at meetings, and developed his own newsletter, Photon: Physics for Fun, which began as a tool to show his students that physics is not only fun and interesting but can be relevant to everyday life. He left teaching to pursue a master’s degree and career in science journalism. He worked for Science News magazine for twenty-five years and became the regular mathematics reporter. "I got into math writing partly because no one else was doing it," Peterson explains. Peterson went on to become an award-winning writer of mathematics for general audiences and for youth. His interest in mathematics is wide ranging, from research to art to everyday life.