I just learned that MathSciNet has a "collaboration distance finder" with a button for Paul Erdos, enabling anyone to figure out his or her Erdos Number (think "six degrees of Kevin Bacon," only for scientists and mathematicians collaborating on papers rather than actors appearing in movies together.).
I don't appear in MathSciNet's database, but my late academic advisor does, and I have appeared as co-author with him on a paper, so I was able to figure mine out. At most, it's 5.
As far as I know I don't have a finite Bacon Number.
I can't remember if my college research project ended up getting published or not -- there was a possibility of it, but I'm not sure what happened in the end. Either way, my advisor has an Erdos number of 3, so I would have 4 if anything came of that. Or if being published with the college's research studies counts.
Posted by: Amy F | 09 January 2010 at 11:22 PM
I realized the other day that my Jon Stewart number is ONE which might mean that my Kevin Bacon number is TWO.
Posted by: Christy P | 10 January 2010 at 12:35 PM
You've appeared in a film with Jon Stewart?
Posted by: bearing | 10 January 2010 at 02:16 PM