Popular, historical, recreational and discursive talks

View a map of the talks I have given.

All 169 popular, historical, recreational and discursive talks presented in reverse chronological order.

You can also view public talks and other maths communication activities.

2025

  1. Mathematics: Broader Horizons, Year 12 visit day, Sheffield Hallam University (13/05/2025). With Alex Shukie.

  2. Noughts and Crosses is a Boring Game!, StecksConf 2025, Manchester (26/04/25).

  3. 'George Green and Learning Maths in 19th Century Nottingham' Talk, 'Mathematical Modelling' and 'Cryptography' Workshops, Year 12/13, Hucknall Sixth Form Centre, Hucknall, Nottingham, for Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity (10/02/2025).

2024

  1. Mathematics: Broader Horizons, Year 12 visit day, Sheffield Hallam University (19/12/2024). With Angharad Ugonna.

  2. 'Careers in Maths' Talk and 'Cryptography' Workshop (Y12/13), UTC Olympic Legacy Park, Sheffield (17/12/2024).

  3. Mathematics: Broader Horizons, Year 12 visit day, Sheffield Hallam University (15/11/2024). With Angharad Ugonna.

  4. 9999713179999 is prime, MathsJam Conference 2024 (02/11/2024).

  5. George Green: miller and mathematical physicist, Physics and Maths Lunchtime Lecture Series, Sheffield Hallam University (08/10/2024).

  6. Can maths help save the world?, The mathematics that explains our world, New Scientist, London (28/09/2024).

  7. 'Mathematical Modelling' Workshop (Year 12) and 'George Green and Learning Maths in 19th Century Nottingham' (Years 7-9), Toot Hill School, Bingham, Nottinghamshire (09/07/2024).

  8. 'Careers in Maths' Talk and 'Cryptography' Workshop, Year 12, Leeds Mathematics School, Leeds (08/07/2024).

  9. 'Mathematics and Literature' Workshop, Year 10 Taking Maths Further event, Advanced Maths Support Programme (04/07/2024).

  10. 'Careers in Maths' Talk and 'Mathematical Modelling' Workshop (Year 12) and 'Could You Be A Codebreaker?' Workshop (Year 10), St Mary's Catholic High School, Chesterfield, Derbyshire (03/07/2024). With Angharad Ugonna.

  11. Mathematics: Broader Horizons, Year 12 visit day, Sheffield Hallam University (02/07/2024). With Angharad Ugonna.

  12. 'Problem solving - What am I being asked to do?' Workshop, Year 7 campus visit (Swanwick Hall School) (26/06/2024).

  13. 'Noughts and Crosses is a boring game' Workshop, Year 12 Moving on with Maths event, Advanced Maths Support Programme (24/06/2024).

  14. 'Careers in Maths' Talk and 'Problem Solving' Workshop, Year 12, Tupton Hall School, Chesterfield, Derbyshire (17/06/2024).

  15. 'Careers in Maths' Talk (Year 12) and 'Could You Be A Codebreaker?' Workshop (Year 10), All Saints Catholic High School, Sheffield (15/05/2024). With Angharad Ugonna.

  16. 'Mathematical Modelling' Workshops, Years 10 and 12, Bramcote College, Nottingham (09/05/2024).

  17. Chair of Graduate Q&A Panel, Year 9 Women in Maths Day, Sheffield Hallam University (08/05/2024).

  18. 'Careers in Maths' Talk and 'Mathematical Modelling' Workshop, Year 12, Bilborough College, Nottingham (30/04/2024).

  19. Maths Puzzles and Games Club, Year 4/5 after school club, Middleton Primary and Nursery School, Nottingham (20/02/2024, 27/02/2024, 12/03/2024, 19/03/2024, 26/03/2024). With Gwilym Jones.

  20. There are 40,320 ways to give this talk, Sheffield Pop Maths Sixth Form Lecture (09/03/2024).

  21. 'Careers in Maths' Talk (Year 11/12), 'Problem Solving' Workshop (Year 11) and 'Playful Puzzles and Games' Workshop (Year 10), South Nottinghamshire Academy, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, for Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity (05/02/2024).

2023

  1. 'Cryptography' Workshop, Year 13, Derby College, Derby (20/12/2023).

  2. 'Careers in Maths' Talk and 'Mathematical Modelling' Workshop (Year 12/13) and 'Mathematical Modelling' Workshop (Year 11), The Kimberley School, Kimberley, Nottinghamshire (28/11/2023).

  3. Mathematics: Broader Horizons, Year 12/13 visit day, Sheffield Hallam University (23/11/2023). With Angharad Ugonna and Alex Corner.

  4. The maths of simple two-player games, Gathering 4 Gardner Celebration of Mind Virtual Events (21/11/2023).

  5. Mathematics: Broader Horizons, Year 12/13 visit day, Sheffield Hallam University (14/11/2023). With Angharad Ugonna.

  6. Am I related to Henry VIII's Master of the Mint? Are you?, MathsJam Conference 2023 (11/11/2023).

  7. 'Careers in Maths' Talk and 'Mathematical Modelling' Workshop (Year 12/13) and 'Playful Puzzles and Games' Workshop (Year 10), Kirk Hallam Community Academy, Ilkeston, Derbyshire (24/10/2023).

  8. 'Cryptography' Workshop, Year 12/13, Sheffield College, Sheffield (18/10/2023).

  9. 'Careers in Maths' Talk, Year 12/13, Sheffield College, Sheffield (16/10/2023).

  10. 'Careers in Maths' Talk and 'Mathematical Modelling' Workshop, Year 13, Tupton Hall School, Chesterfield, Derbyshire (18/09/2023).

  11. 'Careers in Maths' Talk and 'Cryptography' Workshop, Year 12, St Mary's Catholic High School, Chesterfield, Derbyshire (13/07/2023).

  12. 'Careers in Maths' Talk, Year 12, Outwood Academy Newbold, Chesterfield, Derbyshire (10/07/2023).

  13. Puzzles and Games, MathsCity, Leeds (01/06/2023).

  14. 'Cryptography' Workshop (Year 12) and 'Mathematical Modelling' Workshop (Year 7/8), David Nieper Academy, Alfreton, Derbyshire (22/05/2023). With Keith Harris.

  15. 'Mathematical Modelling' Workshops, Year 10 and Year 12, St Joseph's College, Stoke-on-Trent (11/05/2023). With Angharad Ugonna, Alex Shukie and Vijay Teeluck.

  16. 'Maths in Science' and 'Playful Puzzles and Games' Workshops, Year 10, Shirebrook Academy, Shirebrook, Derbyshire (04/05/2023). With Vijay Teeluck.

  17. Mathematics: Broader Horizons, Year 12 visit day, Sheffield Hallam University (26/04/2023). With Angharad Ugonna, Alex Corner and Keith Harris.

  18. 'Careers in Maths' Talk, Year 12, Bramcote College, Nottingham (25/04/2023).

  19. 'Could You Be A Codebreaker?' Workshop, Year 10, Thistley Hough Academy, Stoke-on-Trent (24/04/2023).

  20. 'Careers in Maths' Talk, Year 12, Bilborough College, Nottingham (31/03/2023).

  21. Mathematics Poster Competition, British Science Week 2023.

  22. 'Playful Puzzles and Games' Workshop, British Science Week 2023, Sheffield Hallam University (14/03/2023). With Alex Corner.

  23. The maths of simple two-player games, Physics and Maths Lunchtime Lecture Series, Sheffield Hallam University (31/01/2023).

2022

  1. On-Sets: a vintage game of set theory, MathsJam Conference 2022 (19/11/2022).

  2. Games that you don't realise that you're not playing, 24 Hour Maths Game Show (29/10/2022). With Alex Corner video.

  3. Our world simulated with dice, IMA Festival of Mathematics and its Applications, Sheffield (04-05/07/2022).

  4. 'Playful Puzzles and Games' Workshop, IMA Festival of Mathematics and its Applications, Sheffield (04/07/2022). With Alex Corner.

  5. There are 40,320 ways to give this talk, IMA Festival of Mathematics and its Applications, Sheffield (04/07/2022).

  6. Our world simulated with dice, MathsCity, Leeds (02/06/2022).

  7. Mathematics Poster Competition, British Science Week 2022.

2020

  1. nimsticks: making games with LaTeX and Lua, MathsJam Conference 2020 (22/11/2020).

  2. Mathematical Objects Roadshow, MathsJam Conference 2020 (21/11/2020). With Katie Steckles.

  3. There are 362,880 ways to give this talk, Institute of Mathematics and its Applications East Midlands Branch, University of Nottingham (30/01/2020).

2019

  1. #tmwyk - mathematical play in education, MathsJam Conference 2019 (30/11/2019).

2018

  1. Counting caterpillars, MathsJam Conference 2018 (17/11/2018).

2016

  1. Mathematical Toddler Toys, MathsJam Conference 2016 (12/11/2016).

2015

  1. Nim-like games, MathsJam Conference 2015 (07/11/2015).

  2. The unplanned impact of mathematics, Cafe Sci, Nottingham (20/04/2015).

  3. George Green: A Miller's Tale, Clifton Village Residents' Association, Clifton Village Hall, Nottingham (23/03/2015).

  4. Solving It Like A Mathematician, Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity, Broadmarsh Centre, Nottingham (20/03/2015).

2014

  1. George Green's Mathematical Influences, Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham (12/11/2014).

  2. Chair, From Durer to sudoku: 500 years of recreational maths, British Science Festival 2014 (06/09/2014).

  3. 'Game Theory' Workshop, East Midlands Big Bang 2014, Derby Roundhouse (10/07/2014). With Kingsley Webster.

  4. Solving It Like A Mathematician, East Midlands Big Bang 2014, Derby Roundhouse (10/07/2014). With James Hind, Kingsley Webster, Callum Mulligan and Kathryn Taylor.

  5. Co-organiser, What has Mathematics done for us?, IMA Festival of Mathematics and its Applications, Manchester (03/07/2014).

  6. A Taste of Maths Jam, after-dinner session, 8th British Congress of Mathematics Education (14/04/2014). With Katie Steckles.

2013

  1. A brief history of mathematics: 5,000 years from Egypt to Nottingham Trent, Nottingham Trent University Maths Society (06/11/2013).

  2. Ox Blocks probabilities, MathsJam Conference 2013 (03/11/2013).

  3. Quarto games of different sizes, MathsJam Conference 2013 (02/11/2013).

  4. Designing Coincidences, Year 9 Masterclass on probability, Liverpool (05/10/2013).

  5. The unplanned impact of mathematics: surprising examples of unexpected applications, British Mathematical Colloquium 2013, History of Mathematics workshop, University of Sheffield (27/03/2013).

2012

  1. The Unplanned Impact of Mathematics, British Society for the History of Mathematics Christmas meeting, Birmingham (08/12/2012).

  2. Chair, IMA Early Career Mathematicians' Autumn Conference 2012, University of Greenwich (24/11/2012).

  3. Preliminary analysis of a large data set, MathsJam Conference 2012 (17/11/2012).

  4. Solving It Like A Mathematician, STEM Pop Up Shop, Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, Nottingham (26/10/2012).

  5. Solving It Like A Mathematician, East Midlands Big Bang 2012, East Midlands Conference Centre (28/06/2012). With John Read, Kathryn Taylor, Ian Peatfield and Matt Parker.

  6. History of cryptography, University of Salford (06/03/2012).

2011

  1. Chair, 15th IMA Early Career Mathematicians Conference, University of Bristol (19/11/2011).

  2. Why the hot light bulb annoys me, MathsJam Conference 2011 (12/11/2011).

  3. Unplanned impact of mathematics, MathsJam Conference 2011 (12/11/2011).

  4. Maths Puzzles, SSAT Annual Maths Conference 2011, University of Warwick (13/07/2011).

  5. Solving It Like A Mathematician, East Midlands Big Bang 2011, East Midlands Conference Centre (28/06/2011). With John Read, Kathryn Taylor, Ian Peatfield, Noel France and Alex Corner.

  6. A Maths History Tour of Nottingham, History of Maths splinter, British Mathematical Colloquium 2011, University of Leicester (20/04/2011).

  7. Chance and Coincidence, Manchester Metropolitan University (23/02/2011).

2010

  1. Bacon, Small-Worlds, and Your Important Friends: Social Network Theory Explained, University of Leicester (19/11/2010). With Samuel Hansen.

  2. Maths and Computing History tour of Nottingham, University of Greenwich (17/11/2010). With Samuel Hansen.

  3. Bacon, Small-Worlds, and Your Important Friends: Social Network Theory Explained, University of Birmingham (15/11/2010). With Samuel Hansen.

  4. A curious fact about almost every integer, MathsJam Conference 2010 (14/11/2010).

  5. Thinking outside of the box, MathsJam Conference 2010 (13/11/2010).

  6. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Surrey (29/04/2010).

  7. Cryptography, University of Derby (21/04/2010).

  8. Cryptography, Aberystwyth University (19/03/2010).

  9. Shape of the cosmos, University of Nottingham (16/03/2010).

  10. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of York (10/03/2010).

  11. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Leeds (10/03/2010).

  12. Puzzles, schools outreach event, Cardiff University (09/03/2010).

  13. Careers for mathematics graduates, Brunel University (08/03/2010).

  14. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Bristol (03/03/2010).

  15. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of the West of England (03/03/2010).

  16. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Bath (02/03/2010).

  17. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Keele (24/02/2010).

  18. Careers for mathematics graduates, London Met University (23/02/2010).

  19. Careers for mathematics graduates, Swansea University (19/02/2010).

  20. Careers for mathematics graduates, Cardiff University (18/02/2010).

  21. Careers for mathematics graduates, Imperial College London (08/02/2010).

  22. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Oxford (08/02/2010).

  23. Chance and Coincidence, University of Leicester (04/02/2010).

  24. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Nottingham (03/02/2010).

2009

  1. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Plymouth (09/12/2009).

  2. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Exeter (08/12/2009).

  3. Cryptography, University of Southampton (03/12/2009).

  4. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Portsmouth (03/12/2009).

  5. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Brighton (02/12/2009).

  6. Substitution ciphers: Ancient - Renaissance, University of Nottingham (01/12/2009) video.

  7. Cryptography, Heriot-Watt University (27/11/2009).

  8. Puzzles, University of Edinburgh (26/11/2009).

  9. Cryptography, University of St. Andrews (26/11/2009).

  10. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Glasgow (25/11/2009).

  11. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Strathclyde (25/11/2009).

  12. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Stirling (25/11/2009).

  13. Cryptography, University of Aberdeen (24/11/2009).

  14. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Dundee (23/11/2009).

  15. Cryptography, University of Sheffield (19/11/2009).

  16. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Sheffield (19/11/2009).

  17. Update from IMA University Liaison Officer, 11th Younger Mathematicians Conference (14/11/2009).

  18. Puzzles, Northumbria University (12/11/2009).

  19. Spin in Ball Games, University of York (11/11/2009).

  20. Careers for mathematics graduates, Durham University (11/11/2009).

  21. Puzzles, Newcastle University (10/11/2009).

  22. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Kent (04/11/2009).

  23. Puzzles, London School of Economics (02/11/2009).

  24. Careers for mathematics graduates, Manchester Metropolitan University (28/10/2009).

  25. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Bolton (28/10/2009).

  26. Cryptography, Lancaster University (27/10/2009).

  27. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Lancaster (27/10/2009).

  28. Careers for mathematics graduates, Kingston University (21/10/2009).

  29. Puzzles, sixth form lecture, University of Liverpool (15/10/2009).

  30. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Liverpool (15/10/2009).

  31. Careers for mathematics graduates, Liverpool John Moores University (14/10/2009).

  32. Careers for mathematics graduates, Nottingham Trent University (08/10/2009).

  33. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of East Anglia (07/10/2009).

  34. Update from IMA University Liaison Officer, 10th Younger Mathematicians Conference (13/05/2009).

  35. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of York (06/05/2009).

  36. Puzzles, University of York (05/05/2009).

  37. Spin in Ball Games, University of Sheffield (29/04/2009).

  38. Spin in Ball Games, Newcastle University (28/04/2009).

  39. Careers for mathematics graduates, London Met University (30/03/2009).

  40. Spin in Ball Games, University of Leicester (05/03/2009).

  41. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Leicester (05/03/2009).

  42. Careers for mathematics graduates, Heriot-Watt University (27/02/2009).

  43. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Edinburgh (27/02/2009).

  44. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Edinburgh (27/02/2009).

  45. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Glasgow (26/02/2009).

  46. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Strathclyde (26/02/2009).

  47. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Aberdeen (25/02/2009).

  48. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of St. Andrews (25/02/2009).

  49. Maths careers and the work of the IMA University Liaison Officer, IMA Scottish Branch, Napier University, Edinburgh (24/02/2009).

  50. Careers for mathematics graduates, Cardiff University (20/02/2009).

  51. Careers for mathematics graduates, Brunel University (19/02/2009).

  52. Spin in Ball Games, University of Greenwich (18/02/2009).

  53. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Bristol (12/02/2009).

  54. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of the West of England (12/02/2009).

  55. Careers for mathematics graduates, University of Greenwich (26/01/2009).

2008

  1. Cryptography, Newcastle University (25/11/2008).

  2. Careers for mathematics graduates, Nottingham Trent University (09/10/2008).