Communicating Maths and Science

A marshmallow, launched by a length of knicker elastic, flies through the air to the obvious satisfaction of the ten year old child who has launched it. Somewhat to their surprise, this is closely followed by a flying pig. The pig lands on top of an orange maze on which magnetic animals are being moved around by a team of youngsters armed with long sticks and all being timed by a stop-watch. Nearby a small volcano (powered by vinegar and bicarbonate of soda) explodes. No, this isn’t Disneyland. What you have just taken part in are three of the projects which have been devised by mathematics undergraduate students at the University of Bath as ways of making mathematical and scientific ideas more accessible to the general public. Other activities have included dressing up in fancy dress in order to tell sixth formers about complex numbers and doing a (mathematical) magic show for the University of the Third Age. Mathematics is all around us; it is vital to modern technology and deeply affects all of our lives. However, few members of the public are aware of this. Even many teachers and school students are not aware of how relevant mathematics can be to their lives, and (partly) as a result young people can be put off maths, thinking it as difficult and remote. Furthermore, mathematics…Mathematics is all around us; it is vital to modern technology and deeply affects all out lives. With the help of the National Teaching Fellowship, the author has helped run a project on communicating maths and science and develop into maths ambassadors…