Claudi Alsina, mathematician and popularizer, dies at age 73

Claudi Alsina Català, professor of mathematics and renowned science communicator, passed away this Sunday at the age of 73. Alsina had received the Creu de Sant Jordi in 2014 in recognition of his academic career and his contribution to science communication in Catalonia. He held a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Barcelona and served as a professor at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia until his retirement in 2016. Throughout his career, he published more than fifty books and hundreds of articles, specializing in functional equations, geometry, and education. He also held important institutional positions, such as Secretary General of the Inter-University Council of Catalonia and Director General of Universities, and coordinated the university entrance exams in Catalonia between 2000 and 2002. His last published book was co-authored with Anton Aubanell and Carme Burgués and is titled Go for it! Spark an interest in learning mathematics.

In a interview with the ARA On February 9, 2024, Alsina warned against love predictions based on mathematical formulas: "Theorems about love predictions are a fraud." He also emphasized that "rigorous mathematics is done with the head, beautiful mathematics is taught with the heart." This is how he ends many lectures, in fact. According to Alsina, the key to teaching is to inspire students: "By loving the subject itself. It's important that you enjoy what you teach and that you prepare it well. And, on the other hand, think about how to motivate and encourage the people who are learning with you."

The wake will be held tomorrow, Monday, November 17, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Les Corts Funeral Home, and will continue on Tuesday, November 18, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., at which time the farewell ceremony will begin. "His brilliant intelligence, his unmistakable humor, and his boundless passion—for mathematics and for everything he undertook—have left an indelible mark on many," his family remarked.