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Innovator-in-Residence: Innovative Crochet - Infinity Headbands

Join us as Greenwich Library’s new Innovator-in-Residence, Dr. Shiying Dong, leads a 12-week residency in the Innovation Lab. A pioneering mathematical artist, Dr. Dong will guide the community through hands-on explorations that blend art, math, and technology—using tools like laser cutters, 3D printers, and yarn-based design.

Crochet your own infinity headband—a cozy, wearable piece inspired by mathematical topology! In this hands-on workshop, Dr. Dong will introduce the fundamentals of topological crochet, showing how loops, twists, and surfaces can represent complex mathematical ideas in soft, sculptural form. You’ll discover how a simple strand of yarn can become a beautifully structured object—with a twist.

This intermediate-level program is designed for adults and teens with prior crochet experience. Registration is required and open exclusively to Greenwich Library cardholders. All supplies are provided.

To get early access to all the Library's Innovation Lab events, sign up here for Innovation Lab email newsletters.

Date:
Saturday, October 25, 2025
Time:
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location:
Innovation Lab
Audience:
  Adult     Senior     Teens  
Categories:
  Art     Crafts     Home and Garden     Innovation     STEAM  
Registrations open at 1:00pm Saturday, October 11, 2025

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 

innovationlab@greenwichlibrary.org