Wheel of thought: Andrews unwinds by unicycling

November 6th 2013 Simon Kuran
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It’s not every day you see a math professor pedaling through campus on a unicycle. But Uri Andrews finds this balancing act a great way to unwind. After three years as a post-doctoral researcher here at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Andrews has found the terrain to his liking.

Andrews joined the faculty of the Department of Mathematics in September as an assistant professor. He’s taught linear algebra, algebra and trigonometry, of course, but what really spins his wheel is mathematical logic. The field is highly theoretical, delving deep into set theory, model theory, and recursion theory. Andrews, who clearly enjoys a challenge, calls it fun.

We chatted with Andrews about math, alpacas and more.

Andrews on his unicycle Andrews on his unicycle

Q: Tell us more about your field.
A: I work in mathematical logic. Math is fun partly because of its abstraction, and logic is like generalized math. So it’s even more fun!

Q: Why are you excited about being at UW-Madison?
A: The logic group here in Madison is fantastic, and they’re a great group of people to work with.

Q: What should students expect from you in the classroom?
A: I’ll try to share what makes me love this subject.

Q: How do you unwind?
A: I like to play chess or unicycle around Madison.

Q: What’s the most-thumbed book on your shelf?
A: My Kindle. Does that count?

Q: What did you know about Madison before coming here?
A: Not much. I didn't even know the mascot before I came. Everyone felt the need to tell me about cheese curds, though.

Q: What is your favorite part of campus?
A: Muir Woods.

Q: What is the best thing you have done in Madison?
A: I loved the Great Midwest Alpaca Festival. It was as awesome as it sounds.

To meet more new faculty members, see our full list of Q&As.