Rick Luttmann – Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at Sonoma State University – joins The Emergence Room as a Rome Fellow Traveler at the American Academy in Rome. A mathematician, public servant, and lifelong wanderer of unconventional paths, Rick brings a generosity of spirit and a catalog of stories that simply do not fit into one episode.
In fact, Rick's life has been so full of adventure that, for the first time in Emergence Room history, we recorded an addendum episode—a double feature dedicated entirely to him. From participating in political life and serving his community, to teaching mathematics in a prison, to driving a tour bus through wildly unexpected landscapes, Rick's experiences remind us that emergence is not linear – it's lived.
His first episode's emergence arc traces Responsibility to Opportunity, reflecting his belief in civic duty, public service, and the power of voting and political engagement.
His second arc continues with the beaten-path to off-the-beaten-path to even-further off-the-beaten-path, capturing the freewheeling, curiosity-driven spirit of his adventures.
