Science and Innovation

Meike Akveld is a Swiss mathematician known for her contributions to mathematics education and outreach. She has worked extensively in geometry, topology, and mathematics education. Currently, she is a professor at ETH Zurich, where she teaches and promotes mathematics among students of different levels. Beyond academia, Akveld is committed to improving mathematical literacy worldwide. She is the president of Kangaroo Sans Frontières, the international association that organizes the Kangaroo Mathematics competition, which reaches millions of students across the globe each year. Through her work, she seeks to make mathematics more accessible, engaging, and inclusive, especially for underrepresented groups. She has been invited by the Barcelona City Council to give a talk at the institutional event for the International Day of Mathematics.

What inspired you to become a mathematician, and what aspects of mathematics excite you the most? What has been the most valuable lesson you have learned?

Since I was a child, I always knew I wanted to be a mathematician. Unfortunately, I did not have very good math teachers at school, but my mother is also a mathematician. Perhaps that made the difference. I love geometry and topology and their interaction with analysis. But what truly fascinates me is the intrinsic beauty of mathematics, which is something that has captivated me ever since I first caught a glimpse of the tip of this iceberg. One of the most important lessons I have learned is that, no matter how long you study a topic, even one that does not seem difficult, you always discover different ways of looking at it and deeper levels of understanding. You never get bored.

You have worked in Knot Theory, a fascinating but little-known branch of mathematics. How do you make Knot Theory more accessible and attractive to the general public?

Well, read my book Knots Unravelled: From String to Mathematics! No, seriously, Knot Theory is a brilliant way to introduce students to many different areas of mathematics. You can start teaching Knot Theory in primary school: a very simple question is to give each child a piece of string and pair them up. One of them ties a knot and must explain to the other exactly how to tie the same knot without seeing each other. This shows how difficult it is to describe three-dimensional objects while highlighting the need for better methods to do so. Next step is drawing images. But, when can we say that two knots are the same? And what does it really mean for them to be the same? Among the three knots in the image [see image on the top right of this page]; which are the same, or are they all different?

Asking questions like this takes you right to the heart of Knot Theory. While working on them, children can learn about topology, improve their visualization skills, and engage with mathematical research through the Jones polynomial. This is something that almost never happens in school mathematics and makes this theory an excellent topic for discussion. They will see that mathematics did not stop in the 19th century: it is alive and thriving.

Many people do not realize how present mathematics is in their daily lives. Can you give an example of how mathematics shapes the world around us?

Mathematics is everywhere. I am not an expert in applied mathematics, but whatever you do and whatever you use, there is mathematics behind it. Think about smartphones, the internet, social networks, search engines, artificial intelligence…everything! And to understand it, you need mathematics.

Why is mathematical literacy so crucial in today’s world, and how can we encourage more people to engage with mathematics?

Modern life is unthinkable without mathematics, and if you want to be part of this world and shape it, you need a certain level of mathematical understanding. I am not saying that everyone should study mathematics, but everyone should have the opportunity to learn enough to make fully informed choices about what they want to do with their lives. And that brings us to the difficult questions: how can we encourage more people to take an interest in mathematics? Well, since this process should start in primary school, I think it is quite clear: we need to show that mathematics is fun. Personally, I do not think we need to convince children with examples of applications. Children are naturally eager to learn, so we need to make it an enjoyable experience. Once they start appreciating it, they will be willing to invest more effort, and we can take them further on their mathematical journey.

The International Day of Mathematics is an opportunity to promote mathematics worldwide. What is its origin and significance, and why is it important to celebrate it?

It actually started as Pi Day. In the United States, dates are written in the month/day format, so March 14 (3/14) became Pi Day in the late 1980s at the San Francisco Science Museum. Remember that pi is an irrational number whose decimal expansion never ends or repeats, and starts with 3.14… In 2019, March 14 was transformed into the International Day of Mathematics and was recognized by UNESCO. On this day, we celebrate the beauty and importance of mathematics.

I believe it is important to celebrate this day because the modern world faces many difficult problems, and we need the next generation to solve some of them. For many of these problems, technology is key (think, for example, of climate change), and advancing technology requires a certain level of mathematical understanding. Therefore, in particular, we need young people to see the relevance of mathematics, something they can only appreciate if they do not give up before even truly starting.

Kangaroo Sans Frontières leads one of the largest mathematics competitions in the world. How do competitions like Kangaroo inspire young people to pursue STEAM careers?

As I mentioned before, most STEAM careers require basic math skills, so people should not give up before realizing how important they are. This is where math competitions, especially those like the Kangaroo contest, play a role.

I always make the following comparison: Why are Swiss people so good at skiing? Well, of course, because we have mountains and snow, but also because many people in Switzerland ski. It is part of the culture. Everyone skis; in February, we have “sports holidays” because many families go skiing. This has two advantages: if everyone skis, it is easier to identify real talents, and since skiing is a hobby, people enjoy it and support the best. That is how Swiss skiing thrives and succeeds.

The same should happen with mathematics. On the day of the Kangaroo contest, all children should be doing mathematics and having fun. Some will be better than others, but that does not matter. What matters is the enjoyment. And then, of course, we celebrate the talents and let them advance further. Just like in skiing: you need a broad base to find a high peak.

That is how Kangaroo should work: one day a year, on the third Thursday of March, children worldwide solve exciting and surprising math and logic puzzles and enjoy them.

Regarding “mathematical” professions, what kinds of jobs do Mathematics graduates usually end up working in? Is there a lot of diversity in applied Mathematics and its career opportunities?

There is no single answer, nor one that is more common. Mathematics graduates work in all kinds of jobs. The classic ones are teaching or academia, but there is much more. I know people who work in finance, accounting, and for insurance companies, but also people who work at Swiss Rail, Google, software companies, artificial intelligence, etc. I would say the sky is the limit. Graduating in Mathematics gives you a certificate that proves you are intelligent, capable of analytical thinking, and have developed problem-solving skills. These are highly valued qualities in professional life.

How can we ensure that everyone, regardless of their background, has the same opportunities to develop their mathematical skills?

This is not an easy question. I see an advantage in technology. The more high-quality materials we provide online for free, the more people will have access to them. This could be a way to reduce inequality.

Can you tell us more about what Kangaroo Sans Frontières does and how it helps spread mathematical culture worldwide?

The Association Kangaroo Sans Frontières (AKSF) is a French organization created in the 1990s by a group of educators passionate about Mathematics. The organization’s main goal was and still is to organize the annual Kangaroo competition, thus popularizing Mathematics. Today, the association has more than 100 member countries worldwide, and each year, over 6 million children solve the same mathematical problems on the same day. This demonstrates how Mathematics unites people beyond borders, language, culture, or any other differences—hence the name “sans frontières” (without borders).

In addition, each country can produce books, games, workshops, or other activities, or organize second or third rounds of the competition. However, these activities are not under the supervision or responsibility of AKSF, which primarily focuses on the competition and reaching as many children as possible worldwide. Right now, one of our goals is to increase our presence in Africa to reach more children and establish networks of committed teachers in African countries.

We observe very different developments of the competition in different countries. In some places, it becomes massive and is conducted in schools with entire classes participating (this is our main goal), while in other countries, the competition is held in centers where students register individually and undergo much more preparation in advance. This shows how diverse the global reality is.

What advice would you give to students who struggle with Mathematics or believe they are not “math people”?

First of all, I really dislike the phrase “math people” and would avoid using it. Mathematics is not something you are either capable of doing or not. It is true that some people learn faster and go further, but it is not a black-or-white issue. So the first step is to get rid of that idea. It is simply not true!

Then, just focus on what you can do and what you enjoy, and move forward little by little. Seek help if you need it. This way, you will make progress. It won’t be easy, but that applies to almost everything we want to learn and to most people who want to improve. It takes effort, but make that effort, don’t give up, and believe in yourself.

And to educators in particular: do not spread this message of the “math gene.” It does not exist. Some people learn Mathematics easily; others need more time and effort. But please, do not categorize students—give everyone a chance and keep encouraging them, especially girls.

At our institute, I know a winner of the Fields Medal, the most prestigious acknowledgement in the field of Mathematics, who did not get past the first round of the International Mathematical Olympiad but ended up winning the Fields Medal. And, by the way, he loves the Kangaroo competition.