Richard Evan Schwartz (born August 11, 1966) is an
American mathematician notable for his contributions to
geometric group theory and to an area of
mathematics known as
billiards. Geometric group theory is a relatively new area of mathematics beginning around the late 1980s which explores finitely generated groups, and seeks connections between their algebraic properties and the geometric spaces on which these groups act. He has worked on what mathematicians refer to as
billiards, which are
dynamical systems based on a
convex shape in a plane. He has explored geometric iterations involving
polygons, and he has been credited for developing the mathematical concept known as the
pentagram map. In addition, he is a bestselling author of a mathematics picture book for young children. His published work usually appears under the name
Richard Evan Schwartz. In 2011 he is a professor of mathematics at
Brown University.