Carl Bender is the Wilfred R. and Ann Lee Konneker Distinguished Professor of Physics at Washington University in St. Louis. He received his AB from Cornell and his PhD from Harvard. Before coming to Washington University, he was a member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and an Assistant and Associate Professor at MIT. His research is supported by a continuing grant from the US Department of Energy. In the past he received Fellowship awards from the Sloan Foundation, the Fulbright Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, the Lady Davis (Israel) Foundation, the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (UK), and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (UK) Fellowships, and he has just been awarded a fellowship from the Levelhulme (UK) Foundation. Prof. Bender is passionate about the performing arts and plays several instruments, principally the clarinet. He is especially excited about drama, and during his many visits to London he has seen hundreds of productions.