It's a Math, Math, Math, Math World

Think of any exercise or discourse on science communication you have come across in the past month, or even the past couple of months. What broad discipline of science was it related to? 

It was probably not mathematics, right? Despite the boom of the science communication industry in the past decade or so, it is still very rare to come across efforts to bridging the gap between math and society. 

Although this gap presents itself in other disciplines as well, somehow it manifests more prominently in more 'theoretical' areas of study that have a higher 'perceived intellect' - like mathematics or theoretical physics.

Isn't that a worrying observation? Let's discuss.

Do you recall the trigonometry you studied in school?

Or Calculus? Or finding the real-life applications of the Pythagoras Theorem?

Probably not.

Let us tell you why.

Because during all our learning and education, we were just ‘taught’. We were never made to ‘ask’ or ‘question’ the importance of a topic.

We were supposed to grasp whatever was there in the textbook.

Although this affected general learning in all disciplines, have you ever wondered if some fields of study bear the brunt of the shortcomings of our education system a little more than others? 

In this regard, today we discuss how the dissemination of mathematical knowledge is essential for everyone and what aspects we still lack in the area of math scicomm. 

First of all, what is mathematical science communication?

Mathematical Science Communication aims to inform the public about contemporary research, enhance factual and methodological knowledge, foster greater interest and support for the science of mathematics, and enable the citizens to apply it to their practical life, as well as decision-making on a higher level.

These objectives are met by the various formats and media in which mathematical science communication is brought to the public.

The effective communication of mathematical knowledge and it's real world applications is pivotal in today's science-society-industry connect.

This field doesn’t just impact new technologies; it affects society as a whole, with major mathematical innovations happening in healthcare, the environment and even the arts, with the production of most films and video games only made possible due to mathematics.

What is the problem we face in this area?

The discourse in science communication has shifted from the deficit to the dialogue model.

Let’s dig deeper into this…

How far has mathematical science communication come in this transformation?

What are the dimensions of mathematical literacy?

Many of the world’s largest and most innovative organizations rely on mathematical advances to make them world-leading, for example: 

• Google was founded on a mathematical algorithm known as the Page Rank Algorithm, which estimates the leading eigenvalue of a huge matrix representation of all links in the World Wide Web. 
• Financial asset managers rely on mathematical models to price options and optimise asset portfolios and risk management. 
• Airlines schedule fights using methods pioneered in operational research. 
• Walmart famously uses predictive algorithms to dominate US retail.

Mathematical SciComm has a real-world impact on practical applications, generating societal and/or economic value. There are huge opportunities for research into the best ways of using data in innovative tools of direct benefit to people’s lives. 

We leave you this week with this opinion article in the New York Times, arguing why math teachers should be more like football coaches. 

At SciRio, we have always aspired to hold the sway of our audiences from the first go. Our workshops and services often include diversifying efforts in scicomm beyond the traditional written word. As we move into a new phase for our enterprise, we also aim to expand our client base to new voices.

We offer multimedia communications services to science and technology-based companies, as well as academic institutions for affordable services in scicomm. Let us know if you are interested to work with us on these lines, or if you know anyone who needs such services!

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