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Mathematicians are often seen through a lens of stereotypes: logical, detached thinkers who live in a world of abstract concepts, numbers, and formulas. These perceptions can make mathematics and mathematicians seem distant, unapproachable, or even intimidating. But they only scratch the surface. Mathematicians are as diverse, vibrant, and human as anyone else, with personal stories, creative pursuits, struggles, and achievements that shape both their lives and their work. This book brings together a selection of interviews that aim to go beyond the stereotypes and show the human side of mathematics. Each conversation offers a glimpse into the unique experiences, challenges, and passions of a different mathematician. These stories touch on the pursuit of knowledge, the balance between personal and professional life, reflections on mental health, and the central role of creativity in their work. Together, these voices show that mathematics is not only about logic and precision, but it is also shaped by diverse and often surprising perspectives.
List of contents
Chapter 1. Breaking stereotypes: Lisa Sauermann s mathematical and social insights.- Chapter 2. Joost Hulshof s enchanted world.- Chapter 3. Paul Erdos legacy and Abel Prize insights with Lászlo Lovász.- Chapter 4. Rianne de Heide: From statistics to music, with an open conversation on mental health.- Chapter 5. Science, theater, and intellectual curiosity with Max Planck Institute founder Juergen Jost.- Chapter 6. EMS Prize Winner Cristiana De Filippis perspective on research and life s balance.- Chapter 7. Renee Hoekzema: Blending earth sciences, topology, and artistic expression.
About the author
Raffaella Mulas is a tenured Assistant Professor at VU Amsterdam, where her research is supported by NWO VENI and VU Startpremie grants. Previously, she was a Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, where her research group was supported by a Minerva Fast Track Fellowship from the Max Planck Society, and a postdoctoral researcher at the Alan Turing Institute in London. Outside of her academic work, she is also a storyteller, performing in theaters and sharing personal stories or those of people she knows. Combining her love of stories with her passion for mathematics, she has been interviewing mathematicians with a focus on their human side. She is the co-author of Bear Networks, a mathematics book for children, as well as an upcoming research monograph in mathematics.
Summary
Mathematicians are often seen through a lens of stereotypes: logical, detached thinkers who live in a world of abstract concepts, numbers, and formulas. These perceptions can make mathematics—and mathematicians—seem distant, unapproachable, or even intimidating. But they only scratch the surface. Mathematicians are as diverse, vibrant, and human as anyone else, with personal stories, creative pursuits, struggles, and achievements that shape both their lives and their work. This book brings together a selection of interviews that aim to go beyond the stereotypes and show the human side of mathematics. Each conversation offers a glimpse into the unique experiences, challenges, and passions of a different mathematician. These stories touch on the pursuit of knowledge, the balance between personal and professional life, reflections on mental health, and the central role of creativity in their work. Together, these voices show that mathematics is not only about logic and precision, but it is also shaped by diverse and often surprising perspectives.
