Simon Singh is, according to himself, "an author, journalist and TV producer, specialising in science and mathematics, the only two subjects I have the faintest clue about". In this interview we chat about various projects of Simon, from theatre festivals to math education in schools, and argue about math outreach. Have fun listening!Simon's webpage: simonsingh.netParallel project: parallel.org.ukMath-Life Balance on YouTube: youtube.com/@math-life-balanceChapters:0:00 teaser0:41 math & magic at Fringe9:15 cool math for teenagers16:16 why kids really need it18:52 confidence for various projects20:41 Shakespeare in math class?28:51 what could go wrong30:48 outreach and effectivity34:56 Simon gets annoyed :)37:03 too much outreach?39:50 math in Simpsons and writing44:38 sweet book selling story46:45 how I learned about Simon
--------
47:48
--------
47:48
Interview with @3blue1brown
Grant Sanderson is the creator of the coolest math youtube channel, "3blue1brown". In this interview, Grant and Mura chat about a bunch of different topics, such as feelings towards abstract math, and even hear Grant read a piece from his poem. Enjoy Grant's beautiful thoughts and exquisite English!Grant's channel: youtube.com/ 3blue1brownGrant's homepage: 3blue1brown.com/aboutGrant's poetry: 3blue1brown.com/blog/poemsThe Math-life balance YouTube channel: youtube.com/@math-life-balanceChapters:0:00 teaser0:45 introducing Grant and his job2:52 struggles of having a popular YouTube channel6:03 sociology of math outreach10:36 why people love 3blue1brown13:22 how to popularize abstract math17:40 making algebraic K-theory popular21:17 how to measure success27:16 did god hand you the definition of a topological space?32:27 who writes wiki pages and and why36:13 which feelings cause abstraction44:39 what if you don't understand math46:49 unpacking genius51:48 how Grant deals with the frustration of not understanding math55:16 Grant's poetry1:01:47 Grant's question to mathematicians1:03:38 advice from Grant
--------
1:04:42
--------
1:04:42
Interview with Jeremiah Heller and Vesna Stojanoska
In this interview, Jeremiah Heller and Vesna Stojanoska share their experience of combining math and family life, discuss their ways to get over occasional demotivation in research and speak about social aspects of research. Jokes included!
Jeremiah's homepage: https://faculty.math.illinois.edu/~jbheller/
Vesna's homepage: https://faculty.math.illinois.edu/~vesna/
Mike Hopkins’ talk at Paul Goerss’ birthday conference: youtu.be/Ix4pg87LKVk
Chapters:
0:00 teaser
0:34 their family and other animals
4:04 kids’ curiosity about math
8:30 wishes for kids’ future
11:04 existential chat about adulthood
13:51 research & relationship
16:13 finding friends outside math bubble
19:26 two-body problem
21:59 math talks as storytelling
27:01 approaches to doing math
31:02 getting over demotivation in research
35:23 mathematics is a social endeavour
37:12 jobmarket pressure
43:24 having kids & academia
47:18 solid advice
--------
49:03
--------
49:03
Interview with Dhruv Ranganathan
Dhruv Ranganathan is a lecturer at Cambridge University, working in algebraic geometry. In this video, Dhruv talks about doing research with undergrads, being tortured by math problems, looking for friends to write math papers, and other cool stuff!
Dhruv's webpage: https://www.dhruvrnathan.net
Photo: from the webpage
0:00 teaser
0:41 from cricket to air planes
2:16 adventure novels childhood
4:46 what do algebraic geometers do
8:39 experience of undergrad research
12:30 how undergrad research really works
15:35 “now I’m a believer”(c)
18:25 why so much pressure in doing math
21:09 how we create pressure for young people
23:44 doing math as a coping mechanism
27:00 math torture vs intense cartoon watching
28:50 speakers love getting any math questions
30:54 math for extroverts
34:25 teaching students who leave academia
37:33 don’t beat yourself up for math mistakes
39:39 how we try and fail to improve inclusivity
43:44 don’t put people from minorities on every committee
45:45 the advice that’s too hard to follow
48:35 fireplace
--------
48:56
--------
48:56
Interview with Kevin Buzzard
Kevin Buzzard is a professor in Imperial College London working in number theory and formal proof verification. In this interview, Kevin shares his views on the role of computers in doing math, tells about his experience of upbringing 3 kids as a researcher and raises questions about the way we approach math education. Lots of glorious laughter and unforgettable facial expressions are included!
Kevin's homepage: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/k.buzzard
Channel podcast: https://anchor.fm/math-life-balance
Chapters:
0:00 teaser
0:48 Kevin’s t-shirt
3:06 imagination in math
5:36 computers vs humans
10:43 computers and infinity
12:35 math as a zen puzzle
15:19 role of fashion in math
20:06 mathematicians detecting mistakes
24:41 imperfections in our math
29:14 when the dust settles
31:56 not caring what people think
36:01 how to entertain kids in the subway
40:26 babies as the way to understand humanity
42:52 doing math when you have 3 kids
46:09 writing papers with non-mathematicians
48:54 why kids are forced to memorize math?
53:29 doing exams vs learning math
57:16 unusual advice for students
59:15 the answer to the ultimate question
The official podcast version of Mura Yakerson's YouTube channel Math-Life Balance. What Mura has to say about the content:
"In this [podcast] I post my non-professional interviews with professional mathematicians. I ask my colleagues about their personal experience in math, their struggles and lifehacks. I hope that this shared experience would be helpful for other people in the math community, especially for young mathematicians!"
New Zealand