It was amongst some trepidation that I travelled upwardly to Staffordshire on Sabbatum morning time to attend my starting fourth dimension always MathsJam annual gathering. I had absolutely no persuasion what to expect. I'm a regular attendee of maths didactics events, but this was different... I feared that I was inwards means over my head.
If you're non familiar amongst MathsJam, it's truly a monthly number which is run all over the world. On the second-to-last Tuesday of every month, maths enthusiasts instruct together (often inwards a pub) to play games, produce puzzles, that sort of thing. Do banking corporation check out the
website to honour your nearest MathsJam - at that topographic point are loads inwards the UK. Once a year, MathsJammers instruct together for an
annual gathering which, every bit I convey straightaway discovered, is utterly brilliant.
For most of the weekend, all 175ish attendees are based inwards ane room, listening to a serial of 5 minute
talks about anything in addition to everything. I reckon I understood around ii thirds of the maths inwards the talks (ok, peradventure to a greater extent than similar a half...) but it was fine that some of the talks were a tad likewise advanced for me. They were all the same truly interesting. I can't listing all my favourites hither but they included Zoe Griffiths ('A discourse on e'), Matthew Scroggs ('Big Ben Strikes Again'), Adam Townsend ('Stop! (or, using maths to overstep your driving test)'), Alison Clarke ('Stupid Units'), Dave Gale ('Catchphrase in addition to Coffee') and Katie Steckles ('Sheeran Numbers').
Around the border of the room at that topographic point were all sorts of geeky awesome things going on, including a Rubik's Cube solving robot, loads of maths games in addition to puzzles, a tabular array total of competitions, in addition to an incredible option of maths cakes. There were so many competitions (designed past times attendees) that at that topographic point was a contest rival (a contest to honour the best competition). Bonkers, but delightful.
I absolutely loved the eventide entertainment. I enjoyed drinks at the bar amongst my friends Mariana, Tim in addition to Ed, in addition to it was dainty to grab upwardly amongst the FMSP team. After dinner (the nutrient was excellent!) nosotros had the chance to instruct involved inwards an amazing option of games in addition to activities, all brought along past times attendees. The eventide also featured the MathsJam Jam which was my favourite business office of the whole weekend! We basically merely sat circular singing maths songs... it was bloody brilliant. The lyrics were genius. I absolutely loved it in addition to can't hold back to produce it over again adjacent year. Check out the songbooks
here, in addition to a dyad of extracts below...
The adjacent morning time nosotros had to a greater extent than talks, in addition to past times so I felt totally at home. The diverseness of attendees was amazing, ranging from teenage maths enthusiasts to retired professors. The atmosphere was incredibly friendly in addition to inclusive. I absolutely recommend it to anyone who enjoys maths. I tin laissez passer on notice watch why people come upwardly from so far away to attend the MathsJam annual gathering, in addition to why they come upwardly dorsum yr later on year.
I must nation a huge give thank you lot you to the wonderful Colin Wright (
@ColinTheMathmo), who does a superb labor of organising the event, in addition to to everyone else who was involved inwards running it. It was lovely to come across so many novel people in addition to to grab upwardly amongst a few familiar faces. I can't hold back to instruct over again adjacent year.
