Dr. Arthur Benjamin is both a professor of mathematics and a magician. He has combined his two loves to create a dynamic presentation called Mathemagics, where he demonstrates and explains his secrets for performing rapid mental calculations faster than a calculator. He has presented his high-energy talk for thousands of groups throughout the world.

The Smallwood Family Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, Dr. Benjamin earned a Bachelor of Science degree with highest honors in applied mathematics at Carnegie Mellon University in 1983. He then went on to receive a Master of Science degree in 1985 and a PhD in engineering in mathematical sciences at Johns Hopkins University in 1989. Dr. Benjamin held several mathematics positions while attending university, including stints with the National Bureau of Standards, the National Security Agency and the Institute for Defense Analyses.

His teaching has been honored many times by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). In 2000, he received the MAA Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo National Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics. The MAA also named him the 2006-2008 George Pólya Lecturer. In 2012, Princeton Review profiled him in The Best 300 Professors. Dr. Benjamin has appeared on many television and radio programs, including: The Today Show, CNN, The Colbert Report, and National Public Radio. He has been profiled in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Scientific American, Discover, Omni, Esquire, Wired, People and Reader’s Digest. Dr. Benjamin has authored five books and given three TED Talks, one of which has been viewed over five million times. Reader’s Digest calls him America’s Best Math Whiz. An avid games player, he is a past winner of the American Backgammon Tour and has written more than 15 papers on the mathematics of games and puzzles. He also served for five years as coeditor of Math Horizons magazine.