Thursday, October 31, 2013

Castiglione Olona

We go frequently to Varese but last Saturday I visited for the first time the beautiful mediaeval village of Castiglone Olona, a few kilometers from the centre of Varese. Here is a detail of frescoes by Masolino in the battistero of the Collegiata church (taken before I realized that taking photographs was forbidden)

On a different matter, I used to accommodate guests  at a beautiful ex-monastery in Calolzio-Corte until I discovered that some were allergic to bells.
 

Labels:

Friday, October 25, 2013

Sydney Mathematics Department

Below is a list found amongst my papers of staff and students of the University of Sydney Mathematics Department from 1935 till 1968, the period in which T.G. Room was professor. You may notice that in one year Ross Street, Brian Day and Vaughan Pratt were students together. A little earlier Graeme Segal was a student.   Max Kelly was on the staff, and had been a student earlier. I miss out in two ways: before 1935 my great uncle Horatio Scott Carslaw was Professor for many years, and in 1970 I joined the staff. I think the list was compiled by Sam Conlon.
Read more »

Labels:

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Yoneda Structures

Going through my papers I found notes of a lecture I gave on Yoneda Structures in December 1971, at a meeting (13-17 December) at the University of New South Wales while Peter Freyd was visiting. A pdf file may be had by following this link.

Labels:

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Como has chosen: it wants to be a university city

Yesterday the Provincia di Como had this photograph on the front page:
I thought I had been teaching at a university in Como for 15 years. 

Labels:

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Last days

I've mentioned before that I am retiring as professor at the University of Insubria, Como at the end of this month. I thought my last days would be tranquil, an opportunity to put my papers in order.

Read more »

Labels:

Wednesday, October 02, 2013

Interview with Bill Lawvere by Felice Cardone 2000

Going through my papers I found this mail-interview by Felice Cardone of Bill Lawvere made in 2000, on the role of cartesian closed categories in foundations. The interview contains important historical information and is particularly relevant today to developments in type theory. For the pdf file click this link.

Labels: