Taking Maths Further Podcast

By Peter Rowlett and Katie Steckles

Natural Sciences Science & Medicine Education

What's Taking Maths Further Podcast about?

Talking to people who use maths in their work. Aiming to encourage further uptake of maths at A-level and beyond. Hosted by Peter Rowlett and Katie Steckles.

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LAST EPISODE

Episode 20: Calculus and fl...

05.22.2015

This week the topic was calculus and differentiation. We talked to Florencia Tettamanti, who’s a mathematician working on fluid dynamics. We talked about how Flo uses calculus to study the motion of fluids like air and water, and what it’s ...

Taking Maths Further Podcast episodes:

05.22.2015 Episode 20: Calculus and fluid dynamics This week the topic was calculus and differentiation. We talked to Florencia Tettamanti, who’s a mathematician working on fluid dynamics. We talked about how Flo uses calculus to study the motion of fluids like air and water, and what it’s ...
05.08.2015 Episode 19: Computer games and mechanics This week the topic was mechanics and friction. We interviewed Dan Hett, who works for CBBC writing computer games for their website. We talked about his work and how he uses a lot of mathematics in modelling how characters move, ...
04.24.2015 Episode 18: Medical imaging and Fourier analysis This week the topic was Fourier analysis. We interviewed Heather Williams, who’s a medical physicist and works with Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanners, as well as other medical scanning devices. We talked about her work and how maths is important ...
03.27.2015 Episode 17: Nuclear reactor modelling This week the topic was mathematical modelling and linear programming. We interviewed Rick Crawford from AMEC, who’s a mathematician studying decommissioning of nuclear reactors, and using mathematical models to determine whether it’s safe to continue using a particular reactor given ...
03.13.2015 Episode 16: Actuarial science and normal distributions This week the topic was statistical distributions and actuarial science. We interviewed Richard Harland, who works in risk management for an insurance firm. We talked to him about his work as an actuary, and how he uses statistical distributions like ...
02.27.2015 Episode 15: Accountancy and cash management This week the topic was mathematics and money, and how maths is used in finance. We interviewed Sarah O’Rourke, who’s an accountant working on the problem of moving cash around to where it’s needed in cash machines. We discussed the ...
02.06.2015 Episode 14: Maths and Art This week the topic was maths and art. We interviewed Edmund Harris, who spoke about his work using different media to engage people with mathematics, including his work creating art with a mathematical basis. We discussed his work with tilings ...
01.23.2015 Episode 13: Vectors, matrices and hearing This week the topic was vectors and matrices. We interviewed Dave Langers, who studies the human brain, and how it processes hearing signals. We talked about how Dave uses matrices and vectors to store information from brain scans, which allow ...
01.09.2015 Episode 12: Regression and traffic management This week the topic was data analysis. We interviewed Judith Elgie from INRIX about her work as a data analyst, and how she uses computers to analyse and predict the movement of vehicles on the roads, to generate information about ...
12.12.2014 Episode 11: Programming and boolean algebra This week the topic was boolean algebra. We interviewed Robie Basak, who's a computer programmer at Canonical, about his work on the Ubuntu operating system, and how he and his colleagues use mathematics and mathematical thinking in order to write ...
11.28.2014 Episode 10: Numbers, infinite and music This week the topic was types of numbers and infinity. We interviewed Dorothy Ker, who’s a musician and composer. We talked about the way Dorothy uses maths to inspire her creativity, as well as the types of maths that composers ...
11.14.2014 Episode 9: Structural engineering and coordinates This week the topic was coordinate geometry and structural engineering. We interviewed John Read, who’s a structural engineer, about his work and how he uses mathematics to design structures and buildings. Interesting links: What do structural engineers do?, at the ...
10.24.2014 Episode 8: Packing Shapes and graphene This week the topic was the most efficient way to pack shapes in 2D and 3D space. We interviewed Jacek Wychowaniec, who’s a scientist studying applications of materials science to biology. We talked about how he uses many different types ...
10.10.2014 Episode 7: Astrophysics and trigonometry This week the topic was trigonometry. We interviewed Stephanie Yardley, who’s a solar physicist. We talked about the research Stephanie does into activity on the surface of the sun, and how she uses trigonometry to analyse data from satellites and ...
09.26.2014 Episode 6: Exponential growth in Pensions This week the topic was exponential growth, and pension investments. We interviewed Simon Perera from Lane, Clark & Peacock about his work as an actuary, what an actuary is and how it involves predicting the growth of investments. Interesting links: ...
09.12.2014 Episode 5: CERN and standard deviation This week the topic was standard deviation. We interviewed Clara Nellist, who's a researcher at CERN Geneva, Switzerland. We talked to Clara about her work in the Large Hadron Collider and how she uses standard deviation as a measure of ...
07.18.2014 Episode 4: Nautical Radar and quadratic equations This week the topic was quadratic equations and their applications. We interviewed Colin Wright, who works on radar systems for coordinating and tracking ships and boats. Interesting links: Quadratic equations in the real world Marine Radar on Wikipedia How to ...
07.11.2014 Episode 3: Cellular automata, graph theory and brains In this episode, we talk about cellular automata - including the Game of Life - and graph theory, and interviewed Jonathan Crofts from Nottingham Trent University about his research on complex networks in neuroscience. Find out more about the Biomathematics ...
07.04.2014 Episode 2: Statistical sampling in archaeology In this episode we interviewed Alison Atkin from the University of Sheffield about her work as an archaeology PhD student, and how she uses statistical sampling to gather data about victims of the plague. Some interesting links:Alison's BlogAlison’s research page ...
06.24.2014 Episode 1: Crime Scene Investigation, forensic science and Bayes' theorem This week the topic was Bayesian statistics. We interviewed Emma Rixon from Nottingham Trent University about her work as a crime scene investigator and how forensic science uses Bayesian probabilities. Bayesian probability:Introduction to Bayesian Statistics, by computer scientist Kevin Boone. ...