Category Archives: Maths

What Should I Say to my Kids?

Posted on 4 June 2023 by Athene Donald

As well as attending the Hay Literary Festival, I’ve been involved with a number of interviews and podcasts over the last couple of weeks relating to the publication of my book Not Just for the Boys: Why we need more … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in education, Equality, Hay Festival, Maths, parents, School, Women in science | Comments Off on What Should I Say to my Kids?

Trying Not to Discourage Others

Posted on 29 August 2019 by Athene Donald

What should one say to school children about to make university choices regarding life after school? Of course there are lots of positive things – clichés abound to supply them – but there are also the darker elements of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge admissions, education, Maths, sixth form choices, Women in science | Comments Off on Trying Not to Discourage Others

Medicine and Maths

Posted on 16 March 2014 by Henry Gee

As you both know, Crox Minor wants to become a surgeon, and some time ago she announced that what she most wanted to do to celebrate her 16th birthday was to go to London and visit the Hunterian Museum at … Continue reading →

Posted in brian clegg, Domesticrox, hunterian museum, infinity, john hunter, Maths, Medicine, Science Museum, steven strogatz, wendy moore, Writing & Reading | Comments Off on Medicine and Maths

Marvelous Maths

Posted on 5 February 2014 by Henry Gee

I love maths. My adoration of maths has, however, been largely unrequited. Having long since abandoned my one-way devotion as hopeless, I have recently been forced into a number of startling episodes of nostalgia, now that Crox Minor (15) is … Continue reading →

Posted in algebraic proofs, Maths, principia mathematica | Comments Off on Marvelous Maths

It Has Not Escaped Our Notice #39

Posted on 4 February 2013 by Henry Gee

Following thirty years of work by mathematicians at the University of Southern Neasden and the Max Planck Institute for Extracting Sunshine from Cucumbers, it’s been found that mathematics will start to disappear around July, 2014. At first only very arcane … Continue reading →

Posted in euler's formula, Maths, numeracy, Silliness, sunshine from cucumbers | Comments Off on It Has Not Escaped Our Notice #39

To equate or not to equate

Posted on 7 May 2012 by Sylvia McLain

One of our jobs, working in academia, is giving talks. I don’t mean teaching, but rather presenting research. Lately I have had a spate of talks to give, largely as a result of being new in my Department.

Posted in Maths, science communication | Comments Off on To equate or not to equate

The Trouble with Women

Posted on 28 October 2011 by Athene Donald

A couple of weeks ago I took part in a debate organised by the local chapter of the Triple Helix Society given the provocative title of ‘The Trouble with Women’, designed to debate why women are still found in such … Continue reading →

Posted in classroom, education, Equality, expectations, Maths, physics, teachers, Women in science | Comments Off on The Trouble with Women

Numb or Numbered? Part 2.

Posted on 30 June 2011 by Stephen

Back in April — it seems so long ago now — I wrote about the problems created in university life science courses by the relatively low uptake of maths by the student intake. It provoked a very long and thoughtful … Continue reading →

Posted in Maths, science, Science & Politics | Comments Off on Numb or Numbered? Part 2.

Numb or Numbered?

Posted on 14 April 2011 by Stephen

It just doesn’t add up: why do so many people, including scientists, get stuck on the maths problem? The subject is on my mind because it was raised at a departmental meeting last week where I tried to argue that … Continue reading →

Posted in Hard-core, Mathematics, Maths, School, science | Comments Off on Numb or Numbered?