In this episode of The Random Sample, we explore the science of scale – from the behaviour of granular materials to the remarkable world of nanotechnology. Professor Natalie Thamwattana, an applied mathematician from the University of Newcastle, shows how studying the very small can lead to big insights across science and engineering.

Her pioneering work in nanotechnology is helping unlock how some of nature’s smallest building blocks can tackle some of our biggest challenges – in medicine, energy, and electronics. In a field often dominated by heavy numerical simulations, Natalie was among the first to take a different path, developing analytical, formula-based approaches to understand the mechanics of carbon nanostructures.

Alongside her research, Natalie shares a deeply personal story of growing up in Thailand and forging a path into mathematics. It’s a journey shaped by resilience, curiosity, and the support of her family – one that led to an international career at the forefront of applied mathematics.

Our host is Cait Pryse – from The University of Melbourne.

Episode webpage:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/nanotechnology-natalie-thamwattana/

In this episode of&nbsp;The Random Sample, we explore the science of scale &ndash; from the behaviour of granular materials to the remarkable world of nanotechnology. Professor Natalie Thamwattana, an applied mathematician from the University of Newcastle, shows how studying the very small can lead to big insights across science and engineering.
Her pioneering work in nanotechnology is helping unlock how some of nature&rsquo;s smallest building blocks can tackle some of our biggest challenges &ndash; in medicine, energy, and electronics. In a field often dominated by heavy numerical simulations, Natalie was among the first to take a different path, developing analytical, formula-based approaches to understand the mechanics of carbon nanostructures.
Alongside her research, Natalie shares a deeply personal story of growing up in Thailand and forging a path into mathematics. It&rsquo;s a journey shaped by resilience, curiosity, and the support of her family &ndash; one that led to an international career at the forefront of applied mathematics.
Our host is Cait Pryse &ndash; from The University of Melbourne.
Episode webpage: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.therandomsample.com.au/?post_type=podcast&amp;p=2078&amp;preview=true">https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/nanotechnology-natalie-thamwattana/</a>

From Granular to Nano: Big Science at Small Scales – with Prof Natalie Thamwattana

Mathematics is often used to model how diseases spread. But what about the spread of information – or misinformation – about those diseases and their vaccines?

Professor Stacey Smith? from the University of Ottawa is a trans mathematician whose research focuses on modelling infectious diseases. Increasingly, her work has turned to the social and behavioural dynamics that shape anti‑vaccination sentiment.

In this conversation, we explore how mathematical approaches can help make sense of attitudes ranging from vaccine hesitancy to outright resistance, and why understanding these dynamics is critical for effective public health responses.

The episode is hosted by Eva Stadler, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Infection Analytics Program at the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney. Together, Eva and Stacey discuss how tools from the mathematical sciences can be applied well beyond traditional epidemiology, intersecting with psychology, sociology, and communication science.

This episode is part of a special two‑part series released to coincide with Women in Mathematics Day (12 May), celebrating the contributions of women – and those who identify as women – in the mathematical sciences worldwide. The other episode in the series explores how the mathematical sciences are playing an increasingly important role in understanding women’s health.

Mathematics is often used to model how diseases spread. But what about the spread of information &ndash; or misinformation &ndash; about those diseases and their vaccines?
Professor&nbsp;Stacey Smith?&nbsp;from the University of Ottawa is a trans mathematician whose research focuses on modelling infectious diseases. Increasingly, her work has turned to the social and behavioural dynamics that shape anti‑vaccination sentiment.
In this conversation, we explore how mathematical approaches can help make sense of attitudes ranging from vaccine hesitancy to outright resistance, and why understanding these dynamics is critical for effective public health responses.
The episode is hosted by&nbsp;Eva Stadler, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Infection Analytics Program at the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney. Together, Eva and Stacey discuss how tools from the mathematical sciences can be applied well beyond traditional epidemiology, intersecting with psychology, sociology, and communication science.
This episode is part of a special two‑part series released to coincide with&nbsp;Women in Mathematics Day (12 May), celebrating the contributions of women &ndash; and those who identify as women &ndash; in the mathematical sciences worldwide. The other episode in the series explores how the mathematical sciences are playing an increasingly important role in understanding women&rsquo;s health.

Tracking the Spread of Vaccine Hesitancy - with Prof Stacey Smith?

Mathematics is not often associated with women’s health, yet the mathematical sciences are playing an increasingly important role in understanding pregnancy, reproductive health, and chronic conditions that disproportionately affect women.

Professor Alys Clark and Dr Claire Miller, both from the Auckland Bioengineering Institute at the University of Auckland, use mathematics to shed light on complex health challenges faced by women, including pregnancy and endometriosis.

In this episode, they highlight the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly between mathematicians, biologists, and clinicians. In a twist on our usual format, Alys and Claire interview each other, offering a candid and engaging look at their research, their collaborations, and what it’s like to work at the interface of mathematics and medicine.

This episode is part of a special two‑part series released to coincide with Women in Mathematics Day (12 May), celebrating the contributions of women – and those who identify as women – in the mathematical sciences worldwide.  The other episode explores how mathematics can help us understand the growing challenge of anti‑vaccination sentiment.

Episode webpage:   https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/maths-womens-health/

Mathematics is not often associated with women&rsquo;s health, yet the mathematical sciences are playing an increasingly important role in understanding pregnancy, reproductive health, and chronic conditions that disproportionately affect women.
Professor&nbsp;Alys Clark&nbsp;and Dr&nbsp;Claire Miller, both from the Auckland Bioengineering Institute at the University of Auckland, use mathematics to shed light on complex health challenges faced by women, including pregnancy and endometriosis.
In this episode, they highlight the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly between mathematicians, biologists, and clinicians. In a twist on our usual format, Alys and Claire interview each other, offering a candid and engaging look at their research, their collaborations, and what it&rsquo;s like to work at the interface of mathematics and medicine.
This episode is part of a special two‑part series released to coincide with&nbsp;Women in Mathematics Day (12 May), celebrating the contributions of women &ndash; and those who identify as women &ndash; in the mathematical sciences worldwide.&nbsp; The other episode explores how mathematics can help us understand the growing challenge of anti‑vaccination sentiment.
Episode webpage: &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.therandomsample.com.au/?post_type=podcast&amp;p=2046&amp;preview=true">https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/maths-womens-health/</a>

What Maths can tell us about Women's Health - with Prof Alys Clark & Dr Claire Miller

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;

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

The Kalman filter is a hidden mathematical tool with an enormous impact on our daily lives.

Most people have never heard of it – yet it quietly powers everything from spaceflight and aviation to our GPS, smartphones, and wearable devices.

Developed in the late 1950s and early 60s, the Kalman filter provides the optimal solution to this problem:

If you have an imperfect prediction of where something should be…
and a noisy measurement of where it seems to be…
what’s the best estimate of where it actually is?

And more remarkably – it lets you answer that question over and over again, in real time.

In this episode, we explore the origins, ideas, and lasting influence of the Kalman filter with two world‑leading experts, Laureate Professor Emeritus Rob Evans and Professor Bill Moran from The University of Melbourne.

Along the way, we unpack concepts like least squares, minimum mean square error, and even dip into probability and statistics, including Bayes’ Theorem.

But don’t let that scare you off – because this is a story about powerful mathematics hiding in plain sight – and quietly shaping the technology we rely on every day.

Our host for this episode is Dr Tom Kimpson, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with MACSYS at The University of Melbourne.

The episode webpage: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/kalman-filter/

 

The&nbsp;Kalman filter&nbsp;is a hidden mathematical tool with an enormous impact on our daily lives.
Most people have never heard of it &ndash; yet it quietly powers everything from spaceflight and aviation to our GPS, smartphones, and wearable devices.
Developed in the late 1950s and early 60s, the Kalman filter provides the optimal solution to this problem:
If you have an imperfect prediction of where something should be&hellip; and a noisy measurement of where it seems to be&hellip; what&rsquo;s the best estimate of where it actually is?
And more remarkably &ndash; it lets you answer that question over and over again, in real time.
In this episode, we explore the origins, ideas, and lasting influence of the Kalman filter with two world‑leading experts, Laureate Professor Emeritus Rob Evans and Professor Bill Moran from The University of Melbourne.
Along the way, we unpack concepts like least squares, minimum mean square error, and even dip into probability and statistics, including Bayes&rsquo; Theorem.
But don&rsquo;t let that scare you off &ndash; because this is a story about powerful mathematics hiding in plain sight &ndash; and quietly shaping the technology we rely on every day.
Our host for this episode is Dr Tom Kimpson,&nbsp;a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with MACSYS at The University of Melbourne.
The episode webpage: <a href="https://www.therandomsample.com.au/?post_type=podcast&amp;p=2010&amp;preview=true">https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/kalman-filter/</a>
&nbsp;

The Kalman Filter: The Mathematics of Knowing Where You Are

Scientists are generating more biological data than ever before, and new technologies now allow us to peer inside the cell in ways we couldn’t have imagined a decade ago.  But even the most advanced tools can’t explain how a living cell actually works as a complete system.

That’s the challenge at the heart of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS). The Centre brings mathematicians and computational scientists together with biologists to pursue a bold goal: building a predictive, fully computational model of a living cell.

This is the second episode of our two-part series on MACSYS.  Our guests are the leaders of MACSYS - Centre Director Professor Trevor Lithgow and Deputy Director Professor Jennifer Flegg. Together, they explore what a whole‑cell model is, why it matters, and how bridging wet‑lab and dry‑lab science is essential to tackling one of the most ambitious challenges in modern biology.

Our host for this episode is Dr Haripriya Sridharan – a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with MACSYS at The University of Melbourne.

Episode webpage: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/macsys-pt2/

Scientists are generating more biological data than ever before, and new technologies now allow us to peer inside the cell in ways we couldn&rsquo;t have imagined a decade ago. &nbsp;But even the most advanced tools can&rsquo;t explain how a living cell actually works as a complete system.
That&rsquo;s the challenge at the heart of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS). The Centre brings mathematicians and computational scientists together with biologists to pursue a bold goal: building a predictive, fully computational model of a living cell.
This is the second episode of our two-part series on MACSYS. &nbsp;Our guests are the leaders of MACSYS - Centre Director Professor Trevor Lithgow and Deputy Director Professor Jennifer Flegg. Together, they explore what a whole‑cell model is, why it matters, and how bridging wet‑lab and dry‑lab science is essential to tackling one of the most ambitious challenges in modern biology.
Our host for this episode is Dr Haripriya Sridharan &ndash; a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with MACSYS at The University of Melbourne.
Episode webpage:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.therandomsample.com.au/?post_type=podcast&amp;p=1998&amp;preview=true">https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/macsys-pt2/</a>

Maths Meets Biology: Inside the Mission to Model a Living Cell - Part 2

Understanding a living cell is one of the biggest challenges in modern science. Cells carry out an extraordinary number of tasks every second and understanding how all those processes fit together is central to biology.

But even with advanced experiments and mountains of data, scientists still don’t have a complete picture of what a cell does – or how it might respond to new conditions or interventions.

The ARC Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems – or MACSYS – aims to change that. MACSYS brings together mathematicians and computational scientists to work alongside biologists toward a bold goal: creating a predictive, fully computational model of a cell.

The Random Sample is excited to partner with MACSYS as our principal new partner organisation. To introduce you to the Centre’s work, we’re bringing you a two-part series. This first episode takes a mathematical lens, featuring two of the Centre’s mathematical modellers and Chief investigators: UNSW Professor Adelle Coster and QUT Professor Mat Simpson.

Together, we explore how modelling helps make sense of biological data, how collaboration across disciplines pushes science forward, and why whole‑cell modelling demands both mathematical insight and biological intuition.

Our host is Tim Macuga.

Episode webpage: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/macsys-pt1/

Understanding a living cell is one of the biggest challenges in modern science. Cells carry out an extraordinary number of tasks every second and understanding how all those processes fit together is central to biology.
But even with advanced experiments and mountains of data, scientists still don&rsquo;t have a complete picture of what a cell does &ndash; or how it might respond to new conditions or interventions.
The ARC Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems &ndash; or MACSYS &ndash; aims to change that. MACSYS brings together mathematicians and computational scientists to work alongside biologists toward a bold goal: creating a predictive, fully computational model of a cell.
The Random Sample is excited to partner with MACSYS as our principal new partner organisation. To introduce you to the Centre&rsquo;s work, we&rsquo;re bringing you a two-part series. This first episode takes a mathematical lens, featuring two of the Centre&rsquo;s mathematical modellers and Chief investigators: UNSW Professor Adelle Coster and QUT Professor Mat Simpson.
Together, we explore how modelling helps make sense of biological data, how collaboration across disciplines pushes science forward, and why whole‑cell modelling demands both mathematical insight and biological intuition.
Our host is Tim Macuga.
Episode webpage: <a href="https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/macsys-pt1/">https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/macsys-pt1/</a>

Maths Meets Biology: Inside the Mission to Model a Living Cell - Part 1

Technology is transforming how we understand society. For decades, researchers relied on surveys to learn about populations. But today, data comes from everywhere - administrative records, social media, and even fitness trackers.

In this episode, we explore this shift with Professor Frauke Kreuter - a global leader in social data science. She explains how combining traditional survey methods with diverse data sources can help answer critical questions about health, education, and public policy, while also revealing the challenges of bias in digital data.

Recently, Frauke has made a bold move into artificial intelligence and large language models (LLMs). She shares why this transition matters, how AI is reshaping social research, and what the future holds for data-driven insights.

Our host is Cynthia Huang.

Episode page: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/social-data-science/

Technology is transforming how we understand society. For decades, researchers relied on surveys to learn about populations. But today, data comes from everywhere - administrative records, social media, and even fitness trackers.
In this episode, we explore this shift with Professor Frauke Kreuter - a global leader in social data science. She explains how combining traditional survey methods with diverse data sources can help answer critical questions about health, education, and public policy, while also revealing the challenges of bias in digital data.
Recently, Frauke has made a bold move into artificial intelligence and large language models (LLMs). She shares why this transition matters, how AI is reshaping social research, and what the future holds for data-driven insights.
Our host is Cynthia Huang.
Episode page: <a href="https://www.therandomsample.com.au/?post_type=podcast&amp;p=1951&amp;preview=true">https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/social-data-science/</a>

From Surveys to LLMs: The New Era of Social Data – with Professor Frauke Kreuter

For decades, surveys have been the backbone of official statistics - helping us measure everything from population trends to economic activity. But response rates have been falling dramatically across the world for the past few decades. This decline is forcing statistical agencies to rethink how they collect the data we all rely on.

In this episode, we explore the shift toward multi-source data with our special guest, Dr Anders Holmberg, General Manager and Chief Methodologist for the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

What is multi-source data, how is it collected, and what are the challenges for official statistics agencies as they move to these new data sources?

Our host is Professor James Brown, Professor of Official Statistics and current head of discipline for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney.

Episode webpage:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/multi-source-data-abs/

For decades, surveys have been the backbone of official statistics - helping us measure everything from population trends to economic activity. But response rates have been falling dramatically across the world for the past few decades. This decline is forcing statistical agencies to rethink how they collect the data we all rely on.
In this episode, we explore the shift toward multi-source data with our special guest, Dr Anders Holmberg, General Manager and Chief Methodologist for the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
What is multi-source data, how is it collected, and what are the challenges for official statistics agencies as they move to these new data sources?
Our host is Professor James Brown, Professor of Official Statistics and current head of discipline for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney.
Episode webpage: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.therandomsample.com.au/?post_type=podcast&amp;p=1942&amp;preview=true">https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/multi-source-data-abs/</a>

Multi-Source Data & the Evolution of Official Statistics - with Dr Anders Holmberg

Modern slavery is often hidden in corporate supply chains, making it hard to detect and eliminate. Countries like Australia now require companies to publish annual reports on their efforts to combat slavery - but with thousands of reports, no government can read them all.

That’s where Project AIMS comes in. Led by Adriana Bora at the QUT Centre for Data Science, Project AIMS explores how cutting-edge AI can be used to compare thousands of these reports. To push this work further, Adriana helped organise a global hackathon, bringing together teams from around the world to develop innovative solutions.

In this episode of The Random Sample, we meet Adriana and members of the winning hackathon teams – from South Africa, Cameroon, and Australia – who share how data science can make the invisible visible and why technology can play a vital role in ending modern slavery.

Our host is Tim Macuga.

Episode webpage:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/aims-hackathon/

Modern slavery is often hidden in corporate supply chains, making it hard to detect and eliminate. Countries like Australia now require companies to publish annual reports on their efforts to combat slavery - but with thousands of reports, no government can read them all.
That&rsquo;s where Project AIMS comes in. Led by Adriana Bora at the QUT Centre for Data Science, Project AIMS explores how cutting-edge AI can be used to compare thousands of these reports. To push this work further, Adriana helped organise a global hackathon, bringing together teams from around the world to develop innovative solutions.
In this episode of&nbsp;The Random Sample, we meet Adriana and members of the winning hackathon teams &ndash; from South Africa, Cameroon, and Australia &ndash; who share how data science can make the invisible visible and why technology can play a vital role in ending modern slavery.
Our host is Tim Macuga.
Episode webpage: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.therandomsample.com.au/?post_type=podcast&amp;p=1927&amp;preview=true">https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/aims-hackathon/</a>

Making the Invisible Visible: The Global Hackathon Against Modern Slavery

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>

The Random Sample

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