Conceived and created as an aid for teaching her math students the properties of hyperbolic planes, Daina Taimina presents a colorful display of crocheted shapes, on display in the gallery of the Nevin Welcome Center. These artistically designed representations of hyperbolic planes provide a tactile connection between geometry, art, and nature.  Taimina retired from teaching math at Cornell in 2015 but continues to teach mathematical concepts we all experience in our daily lives to a broader audience through her crochet artwork.

Hyperbolic geometry is present in many shapes in nature such as the fluted surfaces of lettuces, fungi, and sea corals. Visit this display in the lobby of the Nevin Welcome Center to explore what these shapes look like to you.
 
This exhibit is located in the Cornell Botanic Gardens' Nevin Welcome Center and will be on display through May, 2025. Click here for welcome center hours.