Academic selected to represent Scotland as LMS Outreach Lecturer
Dr Jenny Power, an Innovation Research Associate at Heriot-Watt's Mathematics-Driven Innovation Centre (M-DICE), has recently been appointed as the Scottish Representative for the prestigious London Mathematics Society (LMS) Outreach Lecturers programme.
Dr Power joins several other academics who will deliver the newly developed outreach programme which has been created by the LMS. Through the programme, LMS Outreach Lecturers will deliver a series of talks and workshops to learners in primary, secondary and further education settings across the UK.
Supporting LMS’ aim to “promote the importance of mathematics and the provision of opportunities for those who wish to study and develop a career in mathematics and its applications”, Dr Power hopes to encourage more young people to see maths as an accessible and creative career.
"My top-level goal is for them to have engaged with the session, to have learned something, and to walk away with more maths knowledge than they had before. But my most basic goal is for them to just simply have had a positive experience with maths," said Dr Power.
In applying to the programme, Dr Power learned about the opportunity through a colleague at Heriot-Watt, who share the details by email and suggested it may be of interest. She then took the initiative to apply for the position herself.
She said: "It’s really lovely that, while my job is to conduct research for M-DICE, I am also free and encouraged to pursue my own interests"
Dr Power is particularly passionate about increasing participation among girls and young women in STEM, having previously been involved in other outreach programmes such as The SOPHia Project in Ireland, which aims to encourage more students, especially girls, to take up physics as a Leaving Certificate (Scottish Highers) subject.
Programmes like this are especially vital to those from disadvantaged backgrounds, as it helps to transform lives through research by breaking down barriers to further education.
Over the next two years, Dr Power will develop and deliver a series of engaging workshops to demonstrate how mathematics can be accessible, creative and relevant to everyday life.
As part of her role, she will create workshops which blend mathematics with art and music, as well as hands-on activities. This approach ties into her current research within the University where she has developed a focus on connecting advanced mathematics with industry, policymakers and real-world challenges.
“As my career has progressed, I’ve noticed a higher proportion of women in the maths spaces I’m in than before, and it’s been really lovely.” she said. “I’m excited for the next generation of women to come into mathematics. There’s still a lot of room for improvement, but I think it’s better than it has been before.”
Through LMS’ Outreach Lecturers programme, thousands of young learners will have the opportunity to engage with mathematics in news and innovative ways.