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 David Lukens

David Lukens, Professor Emeritus of the History of Science and Natural Sciences

Lukens has been a member of the Shimer faculty since 1991. He teaches primarily in the Natural Sciences, and especially enjoys teaching

Integrative Studies 2, the Nature and Creation of Mathematics. Recently he developed an elective inspired by IS 2 to teach the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  Lukens also enjoys teaching in the Humanities core, and occasionally teaches the Shimer capstone courses, Integrative Studies 5 and 6.  Prior to joining the Shimer faculty Lukens was carpenter remodeling homes in the Chicago area, Professor at Cuttington College and Divinity School, Liberia, and was an Instructor at Dean Junior College in Franklin, Massachusetts.

"There is nothing more exciting than watching students in class make discoveries on their own.  These are the only discoveries that remain with them."—David Lukens

EDUCATION

Ph.D., History of Science, University of Toronto, 1979
A.M.T., Harvard University Graduate School of Education, 1957
B.S., Science Teaching, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1957

SELECTED ELECTIVES AND TUTORIALS TAUGHT

History of Science, Ancient to Medieval; and Medieval to Renaissance
C. S. Lewis
The Lives and Times of Wolves
Calculus from Original Sources

AREAS OF INTEREST/SPECIALIZATION

Teaching Elementary Mathematics and other beginning subjects; using dialog to engage the student's life and thought

COLLOQUIA

"From Euclid to Godel by way of Lobachevsky,"  at the Illinois Section of the Mathematics association of America, April 2005.