Public Understanding of Maths: a lost cause or a fight worth winning? Chris Budd

A common scenario You meet someone at a party and (foolishly) Tell them you are a mathematician Their immediate reaction is to … Panic Leave quickly Tell you that.. Mathematics is completely useless Mathematicians are souless geeks All mathematicians are mad!

In response you can … Deny that you are a mathematician Not go to any more parties Agree that mathematicians are evil or …. Say that The modern world would not exist without maths Maths is cool and lies at the heart of art and music Even if maths scares you it is still vital to your life and can even be fun!

We don’t just need to do this at parties! Most people don’t realise how important maths is! It is essential that we convince others otherwise we will have no funding, no students and no future!!! Young people and their parents and teachers Politicians and industry Research Councils!!!! Talk will: provide some motivation, describe some PU activities and indicate how you can get involved

So.. How do we get the message across that maths is important, fun, beautiful, powerful, challenging, all around us and central to civilisation? Why is it so hard to do this? What maths can we tell everyone about? What is being done? What works.. And what doesn’t? How can you get involved?

Let’s face it part of the problem is obvious … Mathematicians have often been our own worst enemies, thinking that maths is best kept as useless as possible and communicating its power is a poor substitute for proving theorems … the RAF and HODs often support this view! Maths isn’t as easy to talk about as sex and violence (see later) Maths genuinely is hard, can be scary, and requires thought The media often makes fun of maths or simply doesn’t understand it!

Things that I have found to have worked Starting with an application relevant to everyone’s lives and then showing the maths involved Being proud of the subject! Surprising your audience! …. Maths is magic! Linking maths to real people … all maths was invented by someone! Not being afraid to show the audience a real formula or real mathematics!!! Using techniques from stand up comedians!

Some motivation: maths really is fun! And..We have lot to be proud about!!!

Maths has changed the modern world Maxwell: Electromagnetism … radio, TV, radar, mobile phones Google Error correcting codes Galois Matrices, eigenvalues

Mathematicians invented the computer

Mathematicians forecast the weather, climate … and dust clouds

Mathematicians save lives (and bees)! Florence Nightingale Radon 1917 VENTRICULUS HAEMOLYMPH 0.05m m

But.. What is being done to communicate this awesome power of maths to the public?

Mathematicians can be great communicators and it is possible to communicate a lot of good maths without getting sunk in technicalities Some examples of maths champions: Christopher Zeeman … Books, radio, TV, RI Ian Stewart … Books, radio, TV, RI Marcus du Sautoy … Books, radio, TV, RI, fashion.. Simon Singh … Books, TV, UAS Matt Parker … Card Tricks, Busking Sara Santos … Busking, Masterclasses Colin Wright … Juggling Dr Maths.. News column, Maths in the Mall Kjartan Poskitt.. Murderous maths books Robin Wilson.. Books, radio, talks David Acheson.. Books and talks Rob Eastaway.. Books, puzzles, shows David Spiegelhalter.. Risk show, talks, media

RI Maths Masterclasses.. How everyone can get involved Saturday morning classes for young people Mixture of talk and workshops Based in a university, linked to local schools Huge variety of topics eg. Mazes*, codes*, deep sea diving, dancing * Involve sex and violence! RI Classes founded by Christopher Zeeman

Other ways to get involved Direct engagement with schools.. Widening participation MOTIVATE video conferences Writing text books INTERNET … Plus Maths, Cipher Challenge, MMP, NRICH Maths Inspiration (Rob Eastaway)

Science Festivals Traditionally maths is under represented at fairs Eg. Cheltenham.. Only one maths event! But the British Science Festival now has a number of maths events : Origami, Moon landings, Magic 2010: Radar, Risk, Industrial Revolution Bath Taps Into Science … 1/3 of exhibits are maths

Involving Undergraduates Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme UAS: Simon Singh Cambridge: Stimulate Bath ‘Maths Communicators’: 15 Students do a Masterclass, take part in Bath Taps, take a school lesson and do a written activity All for degree credit MMG, HE-STEM

What works? Almost anything, provided it is done with energy, enthusiasm and commitment

What doesn’t Being too technical.. Steer clear of Sobolev spaces Not being technical enough.. Don’t be afraid to stretch and challenge your audience.. Young people love puzzles Talking about it rather than doing it Expecting that the media will beat a path to your door! They can still need a lot of convincing and often think that maths means mental arithmetic!!!!!! Just do it.. If you’re not doing it then you’re not doing it!

How to get involved.. Basically just go for it.. It’s great fun and brings great rewards Some organisations to team up with HE-STEM … Michael Grove RI : Maths Masterclasses … Sara Santos MMP/MOTIVATE … Jenny Gage STEMNET LMS (Holgate), IMA (Popular lecturers) Royal Society (RSSE) EPSRC PPE Grants Or come to the IMA Conference 8-9th June, Manchester and take part in the factor