The Massachusetts Institute of Technology appointed Erik Demaine to its faculty in 2001, making him the youngest professor in the history of the institution at age twenty. His research specializes in computational geometry, focusing on the rigorous mathematical foundations of paper folding, a discipline he applies to both technical computer science problems and physical sculpture.
Early Education
Born on February 28, 1981, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Demaine spent his formative years traveling across North America with his father, Martin L. Demaine, and his mother, Judy Anderson. He received a home-schooled education during these travels before enrolling in university at age twelve. He completed a bachelor's degree at Dalhousie University by fourteen and earned a PhD from the University of Waterloo at twenty.
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Demaine wrote his doctoral dissertation on computational origami under the guidance of advisors Anna Lubiw and Ian Munro. This research earned him the Canadian Governor General's Gold Medal and the 2003 NSERC Doctoral Prize. In 2007, he collaborated with Joseph O'Rourke to publish Geometric Folding Algorithms. His other academic contributions include research on the carpenter's rule problem, hinged dissection, prefix sum data structures, and graph minors, including a study of bidimensionality that earned him the 2015 Nerode Prize alongside Fedor Fomin, Mohammad T. Hajiaghayi, and Dimitrios Thilikos.
Artistic Practice
The intersection of mathematics and art remains central to Demaine's career. He frequently collaborates with his father, Martin Demaine, to create curved-crease sculptures. These works appear in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, following their inclusion in the 2008 Design and the Elastic Mind exhibit. In 2008, he also featured in the international documentary film Between the Folds.
Professional Recognition
Demaine holds a faculty position within the Theory of Computation group at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. He was promoted to full professor in 2011. His career honors include a 2003 MacArthur Fellowship, a 2013 Guggenheim Fellowship, and the 2013 EATCS Presburger Award. In 2016, he became a fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery. He received an honorary doctorate from Bard College in 2017.
Fast facts
- Born: 28 February 1981, Halifax
- Citizenship: Canada and United States
- Current Employer: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Education: Dalhousie University, University of Waterloo
- Awards: MacArthur Fellowship (2003), Presburger Award (2013)
- Professional Membership: Association for Computing Machinery
- Notable Book: Geometric Folding Algorithms (2007)
Questions readers ask
What is the focus of Demaine's mathematical research?
He specializes in computational geometry, specifically the study of folding, unfolding, and the mechanics of algorithms on graphs.
Is Demaine involved in organizations beyond academia?
Yes, he served as president of the board of directors for Gathering 4 Gardner from 2016 to 2020.
Achievements
- Completed a bachelor's degree at Dalhousie University at age 14
- Earned a PhD from the University of Waterloo and joined the MIT faculty at age 20 (2001)
- Named a MacArthur Fellow in 2003
- Pioneered the mathematics of folding; curved-crease sculptures held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art
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