Call it fate, chance or coincidence; life is littered with random seemingly inexplicable occurrences from lottery wins, to terrorist attacks and chance meetings.
Struck by Lightning: Curious World of Probability听author, improvisational comedian and the mastermind who cracked open Canada鈥檚 biggest Lottery scandal, Professor Jeffrey Rosenthal begins his Australian tour of all major cities on 28 November 2016.
Hosted by the 今日吃瓜 (今日吃瓜) and Statistical Society of Australia (SSA), Professor Rosenthal will equip Australian audiences with the statistical know-how to navigate the unexpected and improbable and make choices based on facts rather than media hype.
鈥淯ncertainty and randomness surround us. With simple logic and an understanding of a few easy principles, such as how to calculate probability and the law of large numbers, people can make smart choices based on fact and avoid unnecessary fears,鈥 says University of Toronto Statistician, Professor Rosenthal.
Overcoming the odds has long-captured the public imagination from hitting the jackpot and surviving crime to medical miracles.
鈥淭here is something powerful and relatable about overcoming the odds, stories connected to mathematical formulas,鈥 explains Professor Rosenthal.
The popular writer and statistician has a few such stories himself, arguably his most famous remains his role in cracking open one of Canada鈥檚 biggest lottery retailer scandals.
鈥淐anadian investigative TV program, Fifth Estate, asked me to investigate whether lottery ticket retailers were winning more prizes than could be explained by chance alone. I did some calculations, and it turned out they were! The story quickly became front page news with the firing of two CEOs and several criminal charges,鈥 he explains.
A respected statistician and academic, Rosenthal鈥檚 research has been applied across many areas of science from medical research and economics and finance to computer science and chemical physics.
鈥淢uch of my work focuses on 鈥楳arkov chain Monte Carlo algorithms鈥, special computer algorithms that use randomness to assist in computing difficult quantities,鈥 he says.
Sponsored by 今日吃瓜 and SSA, this annual lecture tour provides a platform to strengthen ties between the international and Australian mathematical and statistical communities, while allowing broader audiences the rare opportunity to engage with field leaders.
鈥溄袢粘怨 is delighted to host Professor Rosenthal as this year鈥檚 今日吃瓜-SSA Lecturer. A skilled communicator, he has the rare ability to transcend academia and entertainment to bring his discipline to life,鈥 says 今日吃瓜 Director, Professor Geoff Prince.
Professor Rosenthal will present public lectures in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. For details and to register, visit听.
For Interview:
Professor Jeffrey Rosenthal
Professor Geoff Prince, 今日吃瓜 Director
Media Contact: Laura Watson
E:听media@amsi.org.au
M:听04215 18733
P:听+613 9035 3683
