Blogs

Would you spot Pythagoras' Theorem if you tripped over it in the street? Would it make you laugh? Is it even possible to trip over this Theorem? Or am I not looking at this from quite the right angle? During the 2012 Fringe Festival, Simon Pampena shared with us ... Continue Reading »

The day has almost arrived. That one day on your calendar that you look forward to year after year. Yes, 22/7, Pi Approximation Day! ...okay, even I can hear the crickets chirp. You don’t have to tell me that a day dedicated to the celebration of pi sounds a bit ... Continue Reading »

I’ve recently returned from a round-the-world adventure, presenting at several conferences and workshops about my PhD research and exploring along the way. During my adventures I was lucky enough to visit some of the world’s coolest places that do science-art projects, as well as compare notes with some people working ... Continue Reading »

Australian Numeracy Ambassador Simon Pampena’s sellout Fringe Show is back by popular demand at The Science Exchange during National Science Week 2012. What’s the secret to fame and fortune? Looks? Talent? Opportunity? Not anymore. In today’s world you need to know MATHS. Read the full media alert - The Fame Algorithm

Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland is famous as a story that doesn’t make much sense – unless you know that the author was a mathematician. This part-performance, part-discussion introduced you to chapters of Alice in Wonderland with mathematical links. Mathematics is an evolving field of ideas now, as it was when ... Continue Reading »

Finally maths has been used for stuff that matters... Popularity! Entertainment! LOLcats! Simon Pampena, the Angry Mathematician, came back to guide you on maths’ modern adventure to the dark side in this stand-up comedy show. Rated 16+ View some of Simon's videos on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8Mr4PpxtDA& http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZCu57GlPDY& Related Content Read a review by Rose ... Continue Reading »

Mark Twain famously quoted 19th-century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli as saying, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics”. (Apparently Disraeli didn’t actually say this, but it is still a good quote!) It is a common and long held opinion that statistics are used to manipulate data ... Continue Reading »

Have you ever sat in a room and found yourself thinking "I'm not sure I know what this is, but I know that I like it"? If you were at last Thursday's SuperFractals event, you may have had just those thoughts. If you haven't heard of fractals before, the blog ... Continue Reading »

On Thursday 22 March Prof Michael Barnsley came to the Science Exchange to talk about his book SuperFractals, and about the intersection of fractal geometry and nature. Before you learn more about Super Fractals, let's ask what’s a fractal? “A fractal is an object or quantity that displays self-similarity on ... Continue Reading »

Confused by conflicting advice on how to live a long and happy life? Worried about wasting time? Cheer up with a dose of good medicine from Standup Maths. Mathematics teacher Matt Parker branched out into comedy, while comedian Timandra Harkness learnt a little about maths. It's a clever combination, worth more ... Continue Reading »

Michael Barnsley has a B.A. from Oxford University and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. He is a professor at the Australian National University and author of several mathematics texts. In previous lives he was a child of a poet, an itinerant post-doc in Europe, a professor at Georgia Tech and ... Continue Reading »

Can anyone live without numbers? Starting from conception we are a product of probabilities. Each of us is the lucky one out of millions of sperm that raced for life. And after that moment of fecundation, everything in your life depends on numbers. On the other hand, I don’t think ... Continue Reading »

Solving the puzzle of fame using mathematics is so much fun that it's a comedy showing for the first time at the Adelaide Fringe Festival. Australian Numeracy Ambassador, "Maths Man" Simon Pampena is back for more adventures with numbers at the RiAus Science Exchange. He will present "The Fame ... Continue Reading »

"A clever combination, worth more than the sum of its parts" - The Advertiser  Drinking is good for you. Being single is bad for you. You have a 0.000043% chance of dying during this show. After sell-out performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, comedian Timandra Harkness and stand up mathematician Matt Parker ... Continue Reading »

What's maths been good for? Physics? Chemistry? Economics? BORING! Finally maths is being used for stuff that matters... Popularity! Entertainment! LOLcats! Simon Pampena, the angry mathematician,guided you through maths' modern adventure to the dark side.   Listen to an interview with Simon about his show [wpaudio url="http://riaus.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Simon-Pampena-Interview-Part-1.mp3" text="Interview with Simon Pampena - ... Continue Reading »

Artists are exploring ideas about pattern and complexity that draw on the latest scientific and mathematical theories. Their paintings, installations and interactive artworks feature mesmerising optical patterns and digitally-generated complex behaviour. Each lace pattern created during the exhibition was instantly printed on a 6x4" index card and automatically uploaded to MESNE Design ... Continue Reading »

Australia faces many big challenges – in the economy, health, energy, water, climate change, infrastructure, sustainable agriculture and the preservation of our precious biodiversity. To meet these, we need creative scientists and engineers drawn from many disciplines, and a technologically-skilled workforce. The many world-changing advances and achievements of Australian research and development ... Continue Reading »

I think I was eleven at the time. We all sat in a circle on the carpet as our teacher took a piece of string and measured the circumference of a Milo tin, cutting the string to size so that it perfectly circumscribed the tin. She then upended the tin ... Continue Reading »

Numeracy may not be the hottest thing around, but a few celebs have made maths their cause celebre. Both Dr Karl Kruszelnicki and Adam Spencer are big advocates of numbers and science. They've made their names on Triple J and ABC, and are pretty cool dudes. Which brings us to Pi Day. National ... Continue Reading »

Our mission here in the centre of Adelaide is to engage people in science, not only across Australia, but around the world. And last week, we demonstrated just how effectively we can meet that brief.  Last Tuesday was Tau Day (Tau being the irrational number generated by dividing ... Continue Reading »

Researchers from the Elder Conservatorium of Music performed The Sound of Tau (& other mathematical curios), for recording and release on YouTube for Tau Day. This debut performance celebrated an emerging international movement questioning whether Pi (τ/2) should be replaced by Tau (2π) as the circle constant in mathematics. View the video ... Continue Reading »

Pi, the circle constant in mathematics, is under attack. An underground movement is rounding up support for its successor, Tau. Pi is the "irrational" infinite number you get when you divide the circumference of a circle by its diameter. It starts 3.14159265 ... Continue Reading »

Pi, the circle constant in mathematics, is under attack, The Advertiser reported Tuesday, with an underground movement rounding up support for its successor, Tau. Read full article from Fox News: On National Tau Day, Pi Under Attack (28 June 2011)  

22/7/11 was Australia’s Pi Celebration Day. Why? Because 22/7 is a useful value for pi… but it’s not perfect! To find out why, kids joined Simon Pampena the National Numeracy Ambassador and Ben Long aka Dr Digits on a pioneering  quest for the Perfection of Pi. Suitable for children aged 8-12 years. Related Content Blog post: ... Continue Reading »

For quite some time I wanted to learn some craft, doing work with my hands to create something beautiful and practical. Working for the RiAus will take you to different and unexpected situations such as an unique RiAus Adelaide Reef project, where we will create crochet coral reef which will ... Continue Reading »

Dr Pudney is an applied mathematician working on a variety of projects, mostly related to transport and energy. He started his career developing a system that provides driving advice to suburban train drivers to help them stay on time and reduce energy use. He has since helped further develop the system ... Continue Reading »

Life is just a chaotic series of events without purpose or meaning... unless you are a mathematician. Then everything makes sense! Simon Pampena is a stand-up mathematician who, like Steven Bradbury, knows the truth behind dumb luck. "... hilarious, a riot from beginning to end." -- The Advertiser Restricted 18+ View ... Continue Reading »

RiAus celebrated Pi Day on 22 July 2010. National Numeracy Ambassador Simon Pampena introduced this amazing and useful number to a group of school students -- who in turn amazed with their ability to recall up to 25 digits of pi!  In the evening, Simon presented Darren Aronofsky's cult film ... Continue Reading »

Review by Kim Clayton This show was a pleasant diversion — a sort of entr’acte between other Fringe events you’re going to, a stocking filler if you get my drift! Simon Pampena may or may not be a mathematician, but Prime Minister Julia Gillard has appointed him as a ‘numeracy ambassador’ and ... Continue Reading »

Review by Kris Neilson & Jim Hilditch. Proud of being the National Numeracy Ambassador (congratulated by Julia Gillard, no less!), Simon led the audience through a brief overview of luck and how it affects us. The timely advice to AFL players on dating in the form of a flow chart was ... Continue Reading »

Review by Julia Chamberlain Simon Pampena is Australia’s Numeracy Ambassador, and while there may not have been many candidates for the job, equally I couldn’t imagine anyone better suited to it. He’s got buckets of charisma, a big smile, enthusiasm and is a clear and witty communicator. The show does have elements ... Continue Reading »

Review by Jess Lyons Disclaimer: I’m an engineer, who also holds a degree in theoretical physics. I’ve done a fair amount of maths at a tertiary level. I don’t think I’m this guy’s target audience… Simon Pampena usually performs for school groups and it shows. He comes off as trying too hard ... Continue Reading »

Life is just a chaotic series of events without purpose or meaning... unless you are a mathematician. Then, everything makes sense! Laugh while you learn the best ways of leaving things to chance with National Numeracy Ambassador and stand-up mathematician Simon Pampena. Full media release: Mathsbusting! (17 February 2011) ... Continue Reading »

This show was a pleasant diversion — a sort of entr’acte between other Fringe events you’re going to, a stocking filler if you get my drift! Simon Pampena may or may not be a mathematician, but Prime Minister Julia Gillard has appointed him as a ‘numeracy ambassador’ and has charged him ... Continue Reading »

Acclaimed science writer Simon Singh explored a series of scenarios that demonstrate how our intuition can mislead us when it comes to assessing risk. At the same time -- using examples taken from the casino, the doctor's surgery, the law courts and the paranormal -- he discussed how ... Continue Reading »

Born: 1975, Adelaide, Australia Australian-born Terence Chi-Shen Tao was a child prodigy, showing extraordinary mathematical abilities from an early age and attending university mathematics courses at the age of nine. In 1986, 1987, and 1988, Tao was the youngest participant to date in the International Mathematical Olympiad, first competing ... Continue Reading »

Born: 1942, Oxford, UK Stephen Hawking, considered the world's foremost living theoretical physicist, studied physics at University College, Oxford and went on to study theoretical astronomy and cosmology at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, gaining a PhD. In 1974 he became one of the youngest Fellows of the Royal ... Continue Reading »

Born 1942, Lundin Links, Scotland, died 2010, Adelaide Professor Gavin Brown, AO was the Inaugural Director of the Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus) and his contribution to the foundation and growth of RiAus is acknowledged and appreciated by all those with whom he was associated. His Story Gavin Brown ... Continue Reading »

Born: 1947, London, UK Brian May, former lead guitarist of the rock band Queen, studied physics at Imperial College London, graduating with a B.Sc. (Hons) in both Physics and Mathematics and ARCS with Upper Second-Class Honours. His Ph.D studies, looking at reflected light from interplanetary dust and ... Continue Reading »

Born: 1969, Gladesville, NSW, Australia Adam Spencer graduated with first class honours in Pure Mathematics from the University of Sydney. While at university, he was one of the world's top-ranked debaters, reaching the final round of the World Universities Debating Championship three times and winning World's Best ... Continue Reading »

Australia's own National Numeracy Ambassador, Simon Pampena, spent the day at the national science hub, the Royal Institution of Australia where he celebrated a free public event with comedy, film and mini pies. Full article from Ultra106five: Simon Pampena, National Numeracy Ambassador (22 July 2010)

3.14159265... is the number that will be top of mind around the world on the 22nd July, aka 22/7, the date that represents the world's favourite mathematical constant, Pi! Join the national science hub, The Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus), as it celebrates the intrigue of mathematics and the deliciousness of ... Continue Reading »

Happy Pi Day! As you are no doubt aware, July 22 is the official day of celebration for science’s tastiest number. Pi is famously impossible to define exactly using decimal digits and is best expressed as 22/7, which in calendrical terms is today. Full article from The West Australian: ... Continue Reading »

Whether you can't get enough of mathematics or just love lemon meringue confections, today's the perfect day for you. Today, July 22, is Pi Day with celebrations around the city taking place in honour of the much-loved mathematical constant. Why today? The date can also be expressed as 22/7, which ... Continue Reading »

Listen to audio from ABC Adelaide: Tim Noonan interviews Simon Pampena, for Pi Day (22 July 2010)

Today is Pi Day, an international celebration of the world's favourite mathematical constant. Super geeks and maths freak love to recite Pi and see how many decimal places they can remember (3.1415926535...). But there is so much more to Pi than meets the eye, says National Numeracy Ambassador Simon Pampena. Full article ... Continue Reading »

3.14159265...is the number that will be top of mind around the world on the 22nd July, aka 22/7, the date that represents the world’s favourite mathematical constant, Pi! Join the national science hub, The Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus), as it celebrates the intrigue of mathematics and the deliciousness of ... Continue Reading »

Climbing the cosmic ladder and marking out the distance to the stars is one way to fall in love with mathematics, says visiting mathematician Professor Terry Tao. The Adelaide-born prodigy who at 24 became the youngest Professor at the University of California in Los Angeles 10 years ago, is on tour ... Continue Reading »