Getting crafty about sharing the joy of maths
#Philanthropy@UC
Chaos theory and crochet collide in Ōtautahi Christchurch as mathematicians at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) playfully promote the art and craft of mathematics. Maths Craft New Zealand has been created to bring together craft-loving maths experts and enthusiastic amateurs, maths-fans and maths-phobes, the crafty and the curious.
A pure mathematician and a principal investigator of Te Pūnaha Matatini, Dr McLeod has a passion for sharing the creative, playful side of mathematics.
“Because I do craft, I see the beautiful maths in it,” she says. “I’d meet these amazing knitters who’d created amazingly complex patterns, but said ‘Oh, I can’t do maths!’ when really they’re thinking mathematically all the time.”
Another UC mathematician, Dr Phil Wilson, is Dr McLeod’s co-founder of Maths Craft New Zealand and they run it together. This national initiative is dedicated to bringing maths to the masses through art and craft.
“We’re a non-profit organisation that relies on our kind sponsors and philanthropic donors as well as our enthusiastic volunteers to show young and old alike the fun, creativity and beauty in mathematics through the medium of craft, and to demonstrate just how much mathematics there is in craft. By doing all of this, we help people to experience what it means to think like a mathematician,” Dr McLeod says.