The annual Royal Institution Mathematics Masterclasses, run by the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science (SMSAS), are underway for 2023 – with over 200 pupils registering for the first masterclass, which took place in February.
The RI Mathematics Masterclass programme, which has been run by the SMSAS for several years, is designed to open young people’s eyes to the diversity of mathematics, through a series of extra-curricular workshops.
This year, the masterclasses will focus on how data science is used to fight disease, how the billion-dollar algorithm behind Google works, and will look at the close relationship between mathematics and physics. All students participating in the programme have been nominated by their teachers.
Dr Rowena Paget, Senior Lecturer in Pure Mathematics, said: ‘Maths is so much more than the school curriculum and we are delighted to be introducing young people to some of these real life applications in our masterclasses.’
The programme includes classes for year 12 pupils (with online inclusion for sixth formers from London), a series for year 9 pupils, in addition to primary masterclasses for year 6 pupils, making the masterclass series one of the biggest the Royal Institution has ever seen.
The remaining SMSAS’ Masterclasses for year 12 will be held on Saturday 11 March and Saturday 25 March 2023.