Burkard Polster

Burkard Polster
Burkard Polster
Born	26 February 1965 (age 60); Würzburg, Germany
Alma mater	University of Erlangen–Nuremberg
	Scientific career
Fields	Mathematics
Institutions	Monash University
Thesis	Stetige planare Funktionen [Continuous planar functions] (1993)
Doctoral advisor	Karl Strambach
	YouTube information
Channel	Mathologer;
Years active	2015–present
Subscribers	957 thousand
Views	74 million
	Last updated: 8 August 2025
Website	www.qedcat.com
	Show more

Burkard Polster (born 26 February 1965 in Würzburg) is a German^[2] mathematician who runs and presents the Mathologer channel on YouTube.^[3] He is a professor of mathematics at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.^[4]

Education and career

Polster earned a doctorate from the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg in 1993 under the supervision of Karl Strambach.^[5] Other universities that Polster has been affiliated with, before joining Monash University in 2000, include the University of Würzburg, University at Albany, University of Kiel, University of California, Berkeley, University of Canterbury, and University of Adelaide.^[6]

Polster's research involves topics in geometry, recreational mathematics, and the mathematics of everyday life, including how to tie shoelaces^[7] or stabilize a wobbly table.^[8]

Books

Polster is the author of multiple books including:

A Geometrical Picture Book. Springer. 1998. ISBN 0-387-98437-2.^[9]
Geometries on Surfaces. with Günter Steinke. Cambridge University Press. 2001. ISBN 0-521-66058-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)^[10]
The Mathematics of Juggling. Springer. 2003. ISBN 0-387-95513-5.^[11]
Q.E.D.: Beauty in Mathematical Proof. Wooden Books. 2004. ISBN 190426350X.^[12] Included in the four-book compilation Scientia: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Astronomy for All (2011) and translated into German as Sciencia: Mathematik, Physik, Chemie, Biologie und Astronomie für alle verständlich (Librero, 2014, in German).
Les Ambigrammes: l'art de symétriser les mots (in French). Editions Ecritextes. 2004. ISBN 2915633002.
The Shoelace Book: A Mathematical Guide to the Best (and Worst) Ways to Lace Your Shoes. American Mathematical Society. 2006. ISBN 0821839330.^[13]
Eye Twisters: Ambigrams & Other Visual Puzzles to Amaze and Entertain. Constable. 2007. ISBN 9781402757983.
Math Goes to the Movies. with Marty Ross. Johns Hopkins University Press. 2012. ISBN 9781421404837.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)^[14]
A Dingo Ate My Math Book: Mathematics from Down Under. with Marty Ross. American Mathematical Society. 2017. ISBN 9781470435219.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
Putting Two and Two Together. with Marty Ross. American Mathematical Society. 2022. ISBN 978-1-4704-6011-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

References

^ ^a ^b "About Mathologer". YouTube.
^ "Burkard Polster, Mathemagician". YouTube. Monash University Faculty of Science. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
^ "Mathologer", News, Events, and Announcements, American Mathematical Society, 4 May 2015
^ "Burkard Polster", Faculty profiles, Monash University, retrieved 23 January 2018
^ Burkard Polster at the Mathematics Genealogy Project
^ 60 seconds with ... Burkard Polster, Monash University, 17 October 2007, retrieved 23 January 2018
^ Chang, Kenneth (10 December 2002), "Seeking Perfection in Shoe Lacing, With 43,200 Choices", The New York Times
^ Devlin, Keith (February 2007), "How to stabilize a wobbly table", Devlin's Angle, Mathematical Association of America
^
Review of A Geometrical Picture Book:
- Jha, Vikram (1999), "Review: A Geometrical Picture Book", Mathematical Reviews, MR 1640615
^
Review of Geometries on Surfaces:
- Havlicek, Hans (2003), "Review: Geometries on Surfaces", Mathematical Reviews, MR 1889925
^
Reviews of The Mathematics of Juggling:
- Burger, Kevin R. (December 2003), "Review: The Mathematics of Juggling", MAA Reviews
- Sun, Hugo S. (2004), "Review: The Mathematics of Juggling", Mathematical Reviews, MR 1940029
- Knutson, Allen (January 2004), "Book Review: The Mathematics of Juggling" (PDF), Notices of the American Mathematical Society, 51 (1): 35–38
- Matthew Macauley (February 2004), "Review: Juggling by the Numbers", Math Horizons, 11 (3): 23, doi:10.1080/10724117.2004.12021756, JSTOR 25678460, S2CID 125318610
^
Review of Q.E.D.: Beauty in Mathematical Proof:
- Craine, Timothy V. (April 2005), "Review: Q.E.D.: Beauty in Mathematical Proof", The Mathematics Teacher, 98 (8): 576, JSTOR 27971813
^
Reviews of The Shoelace Book:
- Adams, Colin (December 2007), "Book Review: The Shoelace Book" (PDF), Notices of the American Mathematical Society, 53 (11): 1324–1326
- Tabachnikov, Serge L. (2007), "Review: The Shoelace Book", Mathematical Reviews, MR 2225624
- Sonnabend, Thomas (March 2007), "Review: The Shoelace Book", The Mathematics Teacher, 100 (7): 512, JSTOR 27972314
- Halton, John (2008), "Review: The Shoelace Book", The Mathematical Intelligencer, 30 (3): 70–72, doi:10.1007/BF02985384, S2CID 189884196
^
Reviews of Math Goes to the Movies:
- Jones, Lenny, "Review: Math Goes to the Movies", Mathematical Reviews, MR 2953095
- Wilders, Richard J. (September 2012), "Review: Math Goes to the Movies", MAA Reviews
- Leversha, Gerry (November 2013), "Review: Math Goes to the Movies", The Mathematical Gazette, 97 (540): 562–563, doi:10.1017/S0025557200000498, S2CID 233359366
- Gray, Mary (2016), "Review: Math Goes to the Movies", The Mathematical Intelligencer, 38 (1): 90–92, doi:10.1007/s00283-015-9574-5, S2CID 123725862

External links

Mathologer, Polster's YouTube site
Maths Masters, Burkard Polster and Marty Ross
[1], profile at Monash University
Burkard Polster publications indexed by Google Scholar

[YouTubeStatsMathologer-1] "About Mathologer". YouTube.

[2] "Burkard Polster, Mathemagician". YouTube. Monash University Faculty of Science. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2018.

[3] "Mathologer", News, Events, and Announcements, American Mathematical Society, 4 May 2015

[4] "Burkard Polster", Faculty profiles, Monash University, retrieved 23 January 2018

[5] Burkard Polster at the Mathematics Genealogy Project

[6] 60 seconds with ... Burkard Polster, Monash University, 17 October 2007, retrieved 23 January 2018

[7] Chang, Kenneth (10 December 2002), "Seeking Perfection in Shoe Lacing, With 43,200 Choices", The New York Times

[8] Devlin, Keith (February 2007), "How to stabilize a wobbly table", Devlin's Angle, Mathematical Association of America

[9] Review of A Geometrical Picture Book:
Jha, Vikram (1999), "Review: A Geometrical Picture Book", Mathematical Reviews, MR 1640615

[10] Jha, Vikram (1999), "Review: A Geometrical Picture Book", Mathematical Reviews, MR 1640615

[10] Review of Geometries on Surfaces:
Havlicek, Hans (2003), "Review: Geometries on Surfaces", Mathematical Reviews, MR 1889925

[12] Havlicek, Hans (2003), "Review: Geometries on Surfaces", Mathematical Reviews, MR 1889925

[11] Reviews of The Mathematics of Juggling:
Burger, Kevin R. (December 2003), "Review: The Mathematics of Juggling", MAA Reviews

Sun, Hugo S. (2004), "Review: The Mathematics of Juggling", Mathematical Reviews, MR 1940029

Knutson, Allen (January 2004), "Book Review: The Mathematics of Juggling" (PDF), Notices of the American Mathematical Society, 51 (1): 35–38

Matthew Macauley (February 2004), "Review: Juggling by the Numbers", Math Horizons, 11 (3): 23, doi:10.1080/10724117.2004.12021756, JSTOR 25678460, S2CID 125318610

[14] Burger, Kevin R. (December 2003), "Review: The Mathematics of Juggling", MAA Reviews

[15] Sun, Hugo S. (2004), "Review: The Mathematics of Juggling", Mathematical Reviews, MR 1940029

[16] Knutson, Allen (January 2004), "Book Review: The Mathematics of Juggling" (PDF), Notices of the American Mathematical Society, 51 (1): 35–38

[17] Matthew Macauley (February 2004), "Review: Juggling by the Numbers", Math Horizons, 11 (3): 23, doi:10.1080/10724117.2004.12021756, JSTOR 25678460, S2CID 125318610

[12] Review of Q.E.D.: Beauty in Mathematical Proof:
Craine, Timothy V. (April 2005), "Review: Q.E.D.: Beauty in Mathematical Proof", The Mathematics Teacher, 98 (8): 576, JSTOR 27971813

[19] Craine, Timothy V. (April 2005), "Review: Q.E.D.: Beauty in Mathematical Proof", The Mathematics Teacher, 98 (8): 576, JSTOR 27971813

[13] Reviews of The Shoelace Book:
Adams, Colin (December 2007), "Book Review: The Shoelace Book" (PDF), Notices of the American Mathematical Society, 53 (11): 1324–1326

Tabachnikov, Serge L. (2007), "Review: The Shoelace Book", Mathematical Reviews, MR 2225624

Sonnabend, Thomas (March 2007), "Review: The Shoelace Book", The Mathematics Teacher, 100 (7): 512, JSTOR 27972314

Halton, John (2008), "Review: The Shoelace Book", The Mathematical Intelligencer, 30 (3): 70–72, doi:10.1007/BF02985384, S2CID 189884196

[21] Adams, Colin (December 2007), "Book Review: The Shoelace Book" (PDF), Notices of the American Mathematical Society, 53 (11): 1324–1326

[22] Tabachnikov, Serge L. (2007), "Review: The Shoelace Book", Mathematical Reviews, MR 2225624

[23] Sonnabend, Thomas (March 2007), "Review: The Shoelace Book", The Mathematics Teacher, 100 (7): 512, JSTOR 27972314

[24] Halton, John (2008), "Review: The Shoelace Book", The Mathematical Intelligencer, 30 (3): 70–72, doi:10.1007/BF02985384, S2CID 189884196

[14] Reviews of Math Goes to the Movies:
Jones, Lenny, "Review: Math Goes to the Movies", Mathematical Reviews, MR 2953095

Wilders, Richard J. (September 2012), "Review: Math Goes to the Movies", MAA Reviews

Leversha, Gerry (November 2013), "Review: Math Goes to the Movies", The Mathematical Gazette, 97 (540): 562–563, doi:10.1017/S0025557200000498, S2CID 233359366

Gray, Mary (2016), "Review: Math Goes to the Movies", The Mathematical Intelligencer, 38 (1): 90–92, doi:10.1007/s00283-015-9574-5, S2CID 123725862

[26] Jones, Lenny, "Review: Math Goes to the Movies", Mathematical Reviews, MR 2953095

[27] Wilders, Richard J. (September 2012), "Review: Math Goes to the Movies", MAA Reviews

[28] Leversha, Gerry (November 2013), "Review: Math Goes to the Movies", The Mathematical Gazette, 97 (540): 562–563, doi:10.1017/S0025557200000498, S2CID 233359366

[29] Gray, Mary (2016), "Review: Math Goes to the Movies", The Mathematical Intelligencer, 38 (1): 90–92, doi:10.1007/s00283-015-9574-5, S2CID 123725862

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Burkard Polster
Born	(1965-02-26) 26 February 1965 (age 60) Würzburg, Germany
Alma mater	University of Erlangen–Nuremberg
Scientific career
Fields	Mathematics
Institutions	Monash University
Thesis	Stetige planare Funktionen [Continuous planar functions] (1993)
Doctoral advisor	Karl Strambach

YouTube information

Channel	Mathologer
Years active	2015–present
Subscribers	957 thousand^[1]
Views	74 million^[1]
Last updated: 8 August 2025

Website	www.qedcat.com