Each year, the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Program recognises a small number of exceptional female early‑career researchers in Australia and New Zealand with a prestigious fellowship. In 2025, for the first time since the program began in 2007, the award went to a mathematician: Dr Maria Kleshnina from QUT’s School of Mathematical Sciences.

Maria’s research is in game theory – an interdisciplinary field grounded in the mathematical sciences that studies how people make decisions when their outcomes depend on the actions of others. In this episode, we explore why game theory matters, the kinds of real‑world problems it is designed to tackle, and how it has become a powerful way of thinking across economics, politics, and – in Maria’s area of interest – conservation.

Maria is a Senior Lecturer at QUT, an Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow, and a Chief Investigator with the Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future initiative. We spoke with her about her research, her career journey, and what it means to be awarded a L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Fellowship.

Our host is Dr James Nichols.

Episode webpage: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/game-theory/ ‎

Each year, the L&rsquo;Or&eacute;al-UNESCO For Women in Science Program recognises a small number of exceptional female early‑career researchers in Australia and New Zealand with a prestigious fellowship. In 2025, for the first time since the program began in 2007, the award went to a mathematician:&nbsp;Dr Maria Kleshnina&nbsp;from QUT&rsquo;s School of Mathematical Sciences.
Maria&rsquo;s research is in&nbsp;game theory&nbsp;&ndash; an interdisciplinary field grounded in the mathematical sciences that studies how people make decisions when their outcomes depend on the actions of others. In this episode, we explore why game theory matters, the kinds of real‑world problems it is designed to tackle, and how it has become a powerful way of thinking across economics, politics, and &ndash; in Maria&rsquo;s area of interest &ndash; conservation.
Maria is a Senior Lecturer at QUT, an Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow, and a Chief Investigator with the Securing Antarctica&rsquo;s Environmental Future initiative. We spoke with her about her research, her career journey, and what it means to be awarded a L&rsquo;Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Fellowship.
Our host is Dr James Nichols.
Episode webpage: <a href="https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/game-theory/">https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/game-theory/</a> &lrm;

Welcome to The Random Sample - a podcast from the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS).  In this podcast, we share stories about mathematics, statistics, data science and the people involved. The Random Sample is also proud to have the support of these supporting partners: the Australian Data Science Network (ADSN), the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA), the Australian Mathematical Society (AustMS), the OPTIMA ARC Training Centre, the MATRIX Mathematical Research Institute, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers (ACEMS). ACEMS created the podcast in 2018. For further resources and show notes, visit therandomsample.com.au

Welcome to The Random Sample - a podcast from the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS).&nbsp; In this podcast, we share stories about mathematics, statistics, data science and the people involved. The Random Sample is also proud to have the support of these supporting partners: the Australian Data Science Network (ADSN), the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA), the Australian Mathematical Society (AustMS), the OPTIMA ARC Training Centre, the MATRIX Mathematical Research Institute, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers (ACEMS). ACEMS created the podcast in 2018. For further resources and show notes, visit <a href="https://www.therandomsample.com.au/">therandomsample.com.au</a>

Stories about mathematics, statistics and the people involved

The Random Sample

Welcome to The Random Sample - a podcast from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS). In this podcast, we share stories about mathematics, statistics, data science and the people involved. The Random Sample is also proud to have the support of these supporting partners:  Australian Data Science Network (ADSN), Statistical Society of Australia (SSA), Australian Mathematical Society (AustMS), OPTIMA ARC Training Centre, MATRIX Mathematical Research Institute, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers (ACEMS). ACEMS created the podcast in 2018. For further resources and show notes, visit therandomsample.com.au

Welcome to The Random Sample - a podcast from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS). In this podcast, we share stories about mathematics, statistics, data science and the people involved. The Random Sample is also proud to have the support of these supporting partners:&nbsp; Australian Data Science Network (ADSN), Statistical Society of Australia (SSA), Australian Mathematical Society (AustMS), OPTIMA ARC Training Centre, MATRIX Mathematical Research Institute, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers (ACEMS). ACEMS created the podcast in 2018. For further resources and show notes, visit <a href="https://www.therandomsample.com.au/">therandomsample.com.au</a>

Game Theory: The Mathematics of Strategic Choices - with Dr Maria Kleshnina

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, affects millions of people worldwide, yet many aspects of the disease remain poorly understood. One of its defining characteristics is the way symptoms can fluctuate over time, with periods of relapse followed by remission. What drives these cycles, and why does the disease appear stable one moment before suddenly worsening the next?

In this episode, we speak with Dr Adrianne Jenner, Senior Lecturer in QUT’s School of Mathematical Sciences, about her latest research tackling this question through mathematics. Adrianne and her collaborators have developed a groundbreaking mathematical model that reproduces the relapsing-remitting patterns seen in MS, offering new insights into the biological processes that may underlie disease progression.

We also explore Adrianne’s broader work in mathematical oncology, where mathematical models are helping researchers better understand how cancers grow, evolve and respond to their environment. Along the way, we discuss the unique role mathematics can play in biology and medicine, and why collaboration between mathematicians and experimental scientists is becoming increasingly important in modern research.

Our host is Dr Haripriya Sridharan, a Research Fellow with MACSYS at The University of Melbourne.

Episode webpage:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/ms-maths-adrianne-jenner/

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, affects millions of people worldwide, yet many aspects of the disease remain poorly understood. One of its defining characteristics is the way symptoms can fluctuate over time, with periods of relapse followed by remission. What drives these cycles, and why does the disease appear stable one moment before suddenly worsening the next?
In this episode, we speak with Dr Adrianne Jenner, Senior Lecturer in QUT&rsquo;s School of Mathematical Sciences, about her latest research tackling this question through mathematics. Adrianne and her collaborators have developed a groundbreaking mathematical model that reproduces the relapsing-remitting patterns seen in MS, offering new insights into the biological processes that may underlie disease progression.
We also explore Adrianne&rsquo;s broader work in mathematical oncology, where mathematical models are helping researchers better understand how cancers grow, evolve and respond to their environment. Along the way, we discuss the unique role mathematics can play in biology and medicine, and why collaboration between mathematicians and experimental scientists is becoming increasingly important in modern research.
Our host is Dr Haripriya Sridharan, a Research Fellow with MACSYS at The University of Melbourne.
Episode webpage: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.therandomsample.com.au/?post_type=podcast&amp;p=2221&amp;preview=true">https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/ms-maths-adrianne-jenner/</a>

Modelling the Mysteries of Multiple Sclerosis – with Dr Adrianne Jenner

In 2020, as COVID-19 spread across the globe, researchers faced an urgent challenge: finding treatments that could save the lives of patients hospitalised with the virus. One of the most important efforts was the RECOVERY trial, a clinical trial designed to rapidly test potential therapies and generate reliable evidence at a time when the world desperately needed answers.

Our guest, Professor Thomas Jaki, was part of the team behind RECOVERY from its earliest days. In this episode, he shares how the trial came together at remarkable speed, the challenges of conducting research during a global pandemic, and the key statistical and design decisions that allowed the study to deliver results quickly without compromising scientific rigour.

The impact was extraordinary. RECOVERY identified five life-saving COVID-19 treatments while also showing that several commonly used therapies were ineffective. Its findings influenced clinical practice around the world and helped shape the care of millions of patients.

It’s a fascinating conversation about clinical trials, decision-making under pressure, and the power of statistics to improve healthcare on a global scale.

Our host for this episode is Dr Min Zhang – a biostatistician with the University of Queensland's Clinical Trials Capability (ULTRA). She also serves on The Random Sample editorial group as a representative of the Statistical Society of Australia.

In 2020, as COVID-19 spread across the globe, researchers faced an urgent challenge: finding treatments that could save the lives of patients hospitalised with the virus. One of the most important efforts was the RECOVERY trial, a clinical trial designed to rapidly test potential therapies and generate reliable evidence at a time when the world desperately needed answers.
Our guest, Professor Thomas Jaki, was part of the team behind RECOVERY from its earliest days. In this episode, he shares how the trial came together at remarkable speed, the challenges of conducting research during a global pandemic, and the key statistical and design decisions that allowed the study to deliver results quickly without compromising scientific rigour.
The impact was extraordinary. RECOVERY identified five life-saving COVID-19 treatments while also showing that several commonly used therapies were ineffective. Its findings influenced clinical practice around the world and helped shape the care of millions of patients.
It&rsquo;s a fascinating conversation about clinical trials, decision-making under pressure, and the power of statistics to improve healthcare on a global scale.
Our host for this episode is Dr Min Zhang &ndash; a biostatistician with the University of Queensland's Clinical Trials Capability (ULTRA). She also serves on The Random Sample editorial group as a representative of the Statistical Society of Australia.

Science at Pandemic Speed: The Clinical Trial that Changed COVID Care - with Professor Thomas Jaki

It’s a question many early career researchers grapple with: academia or industry?  For Professor Roslyn Hickson, the answer is simple: why choose?

Roslyn is an applied mathematician with a joint appointment at CSIRO and James Cook University, where she serves as Science Leader for Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Her career has taken her across academia, the military, government and industry, before arriving at her current role bridging research and real-world application.

In this episode, Roslyn reflects on the career decisions that shaped her journey, the different cultures she’s experienced across sectors, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.

Earlier this year, Roslyn was awarded the inaugural K.A. Landman Medal by ANZIAM, recognising her outstanding contributions to industrial and applied mathematics. She shares why the award is particularly meaningful to her and what it says about the growing importance of mathematics beyond the university setting.

Our host for this episode is Dr Sophie Raynor, a lecturer in mathematics at James Cook University.

Podcast Episode Page:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/roslyn-hickson/

It&rsquo;s a question many early career researchers grapple with: academia or industry?&nbsp; For Professor Roslyn Hickson, the answer is simple: why choose?
Roslyn is an applied mathematician with a joint appointment at CSIRO and James Cook University, where she serves as Science Leader for Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Her career has taken her across academia, the military, government and industry, before arriving at her current role bridging research and real-world application.
In this episode, Roslyn reflects on the career decisions that shaped her journey, the different cultures she&rsquo;s experienced across sectors, and the lessons she&rsquo;s learned along the way.
Earlier this year, Roslyn was awarded the inaugural&nbsp;K.A. Landman Medal&nbsp;by ANZIAM, recognising her outstanding contributions to industrial and applied mathematics. She shares why the award is particularly meaningful to her and what it says about the growing importance of mathematics beyond the university setting.
Our host for this episode is Dr Sophie Raynor, a lecturer in mathematics at James Cook University.
Podcast Episode Page: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.therandomsample.com.au/?post_type=podcast&amp;p=2201&amp;preview=true">https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/roslyn-hickson/</a>

Game Theory: The Mathematics of Strategic Choices - with Dr Maria Kleshnina

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