I was invited by Taiwan's Ministry of Science to give
a series of lectures and workshops in three cities during July 2004.
The lecture topics included sculpture, rapid prototyping, and
four-dimensional geometry. This page shows some photos from other
activities on that trip. More pictures and videos are online
here and
here.
I gave six
Zometool workshops.
Above is the start of one
with 50 teachers.
During my two weeks in Taiwan, I made many new friends.
Above is the end of a Zometool workshop for teachers in Kaohsiung.
And above is another workshop, in Taichung.
Many people were kind to me, including my hiking partner, Miss Sun.
Above, Teacher Lin and I work on a 600-cell model.
His class, from a girls' high school, was very enthusiastic.
I also led a group sculpture assembly workshop.
Each team received a
kit with sixty stamped-out wooden "
People"
to
decorate and assemble:
The 25 teams were judged for speed, accuracy, and beauty of the
decoration.
Above is the winning team. Their "people" are decorated with
flags
from around the world and there is an inflated globe hanging
inside.
The second-place entry was decorated like monkeys.
Plus I led a group in the assembly of a large
Zometool model,
displayed in the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial:
It is a shadow of a 4D object, the expanded-truncated-120-cell.
It took about six hours for about ten people to assemble.
The core of the crew included Sculptor Wu, on my left.
I also did some wonderful sight seeing in several
parts of the country:
The Toroko Gorge is simply spectacular!
Within it is the most beautiful shrine I have ever seen.
The waterfall which flows
through it splits into many parts.
This little pool was another beautiful spot we stumbled into one day.
I am profundly grateful to my guide, translator,
and new friend,
Mr. David
Wang. He originated the idea of my visiting to give lectures,
workshops,
and a sculpture contest, and made it a wonderful trip for me in every
way.
And I must mention that the food in Taiwan is incredible, too!
And now (three weeks later) that I have solved these puzzles, I'll add
that I received
generous gifts, including these two puzzles. Designed by Teacher Lin,
the wooden
pieces were cut by Sculptor Wu. The one at the left is composed of
twelve pentagons
and the one at right is composed of ten triangles. But I brought
them home packed as
60 sticks and 30 sticks. This photo is to show everyone in Taiwan that
I finished them!