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Greenwich Library – World Cup Challenge – Soccer Ball Math Art

Name: Greenwich Library – World Cup Challenge – Soccer Ball Math Art
Start: 2026-07-06T16:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-07-06T17:30:00-04:00
Location: Greenwich Library

July 6 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Celebrate the World Cup season with the ultimate challenge to weave your own paper soccer ball!

In this hands-on workshop, participants will be guided to use simple paper bands to build a classic 32-paneled shaped soccer sphere, and a miniature 12 sided version. Explore how repeated shapes, interlocking edges and geometric symmetry can transform flat pieces of paper into a sturdy three-dimensional structure. Discover the surprising math, pattern repetition, and structural engineering behind the world’s most famous game ball! Are you up to the challenge?

This beginner-friendly program is for ages 13 and up. Registration is required and open exclusively to Greenwich Library cardholders. All supplies are provided.

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Date:: Monday, July 6, 2026
Time:: 4:00pm – 5:30pm
Location:: 2nd Floor Meeting Room
Audience:: Adult Senior Teens
Categories:: Art Crafts Innovation STEAM

Registration is required.

Dr. Dong holds a M.A. in Math from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of Illinois and is the originator of topological crochet—a pioneering art form that transforms complex concepts from algebraic topology into intricate yarn sculptures. Her interdisciplinary work has received national recognition, including awards from the Mathematical Art Exhibition at the Joint Mathematics Meetings and the prestigious 2023 Einstein Mad Hat Award Grand Prize. Her paper-craft designs and her crochet forms have also been featured in The New York Times.

As an educator, Dr. Dong has taught in-person and online workshops at the National Museum of Mathematics and presented at major math-art conferences, including Bridges and the Joint Mathematics Meetings. She is currently co-authoring a book with renowned math artist Eve Torrence. Passionate about making advanced mathematical ideas accessible through hands-on creativity, she works across mediums—from yarn and paper to laser-cut and 3D-printed materials—to help others discover the beauty and playfulness of mathematics.

PROGRAM CONTACT:

Innovation Lab

203-622-7979

[email protected]