airplane.jpg

United Airlines airplane taking off.

(AP File photo)

PHILADELPHIA - A former associate professor at Princeton was taken off a flight Thursday evening for doing math and - according to his seat-mate - looking like a "terrorist," reports said.

Guido Menzio, an economics professor, was on a flight from Philadelphia to Syracuse Thursday night when a woman sitting next to him got worried that he could be a terrorist, and reported him to a flight attendant, Philly.com reported

She got nervous because Menzio, who is Italian and has dark, curly hair, was doing math on the plane, reports said.

Guido Menzio currently teaches at the University of Pennsylvania but he previously worked as a visiting professor at Princeton University, according to his online resume.

Menzio was taken off the plane and questioned before he showed authorities that the "strange things," on his paper were mathematical notations, reports said.

The plane was delayed for over two hours because of the woman's complaint, according to reports.

Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.