“I’m very honoured to have the opportunity to contribute to such a great series,” says Dr. Ezzat. “I believe that looking at the world in a mathematical mindset adds a new and powerful perspective to help us understand our world, community and the challenges that we face. I hope to give the audience a feel for the way mathematicians think and to also show the beauty and elegance of the subject”.
Dr. Ezzat graduated from the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, with a PhD in mathematics in 2012 and, with a Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning earned in 2006, the Glace Bay native recently moved back to Cape Breton to pursue his passion for education at CBU. He is also an avid musician, notably contributing electric guitar to fiddler Colin Grant’s album Fun for the Whole Family.
Also speaking will be John Hugh Edwards who recently returned to Cape Breton after working in Ottawa for the past 6 years as a national representative and senior researcher in social and economic policy for the Canadian Labour Congress. Edwards will talk about his current work as Executive Director of a new community organization, Share, Support and Recovery, which addresses needs in affordable housing and employment for people recovering from mental illness and addictions.
This engaging evening will feature live performance by local talent Justin Vallis, songwriter and frontman of Bella Rebellion whose carefully crafted arrangements jump from one musical style to the next, blending jangly gypsy-inspired jams and crunchy power chord-driven epics seamlessly into the same set.
The Ideas: Powered by Passion series, which has been dubbed the “Cape Breton TED”, seeks to encourage new attitudes, directions and thinking through speech and music. It aims to uncover the passions of our people through the sharing of their stories and ideas. Previous speakers, including Rankin MacSween, Coralie Murphy, Kate Oland, Dr. Ron MacCormick, Sister Margie Gillis, Jim Mustard, and Bonnie MacLeod, have inspired many IDEAS guests to action and have in turn helped them to realize their own passions in the process. (Watch video of previous presentations here.)
The third of this season’s six presentations takes place on Tuesday, April 23 at 7pm at the Cape Breton Centre for Heritage & Science (The Lyceum) at 225 George Street, Sydney. Admission is free for all talks in the series. Attendees are encouraged to bring a friend, a smile, and their favourite mug to fill with complimentary organic, fair trade coffee or tea.
