Welcome to our roundup of all things Cambridge Mathematics

A message from our Director

Dear reader

Marhaba,

We have been busy lately at Cambridge Mathematics (CM), despite the summer vacation and the hot weather! I am sure you were following us, but just in case you chose to go on a break recently, I will give you an update in this special newsletter. It is special not only for its content but also the fact that it is our 60^th issue; a special number from different angles!

For mathematicians, the number 60 is quite significant: algebra fans would appreciate that, among its many properties, it is a number that is highly composite, highly abundant, and is a unitary perfect number; geometry and measurement fans on the other hand will surely mention the beauty of equilateral triangles, the Koch snowflake (how I wish it could snow today!) and certain platonic solids (guess which ones, in this context), plus the vital importance of the sexagesimal number system, something that our ancestors initiated in various parts of the world. Knowing all that, no wonder a 60^th anniversary is a diamond one!  

Back to our news: something that the entire team and I are especially excited about is welcoming Charlie and Demi who joined CM recently as interns: a first for us. You'll meet them in this issue, and we will announce some of their fascinating contributions at a later stage, so stay tuned. We also launched our new hub for research and innovation in artificial intelligence and mathematics education, AIMED, that is aimed (pun intended) 'at formalising the work done around AI and mathematics education in response to elements of our vision related to being innovative and on top of the latest technologies'. Not only that, but we started our Staffroom Catch-Up podcast, to strengthen the links with our audience and offer 'listeners the opportunity to hear staffroom conversations beyond their original settings'; you can already listen to two episodes, available on all major platforms. On top of the aforementioned news, we were and are involved in various mathematics-related projects, pilots and initiatives; we will share more on that soon! 

Finally, I would like to highlight that we will be attending various conferences in the upcoming weeks; you can find a list of them here. Do bookmark that page, showing events where CM will be represented, as we would love to meet you in case you are planning to be present at any of them; connections are very important to us, and not just in mathematics! Meanwhile, we hope you managed to take some time off to relax and refresh and that you are ready and excited for the new academic year, as we are. 

Best wishes,

Charlotte McNamara

Hi, I'm Charlie, and I joined Cambridge Mathematics as an accessibility intern this summer!

Ademipo Onanuga

Hi, I'm Ademipo, a recent Environmental Studies graduate and currently the Climate Education Resource Design Intern at Cambridge Mathematics.

AIMED is our new creative hub that captures all the research activities and projects of Cambridge Mathematics in the field of AI and mathematics education.

AIMED is 'aimed' at formalising the work we do around AI and mathematics education in response to elements of our vision related to being innovative and on top of the latest technologies.

Our new Staffroom Catch-Up podcast gives you a window into authentic conversations with passionate educators – from classroom veterans to early-career practitioners, in settings from nurseries to universities – each sharing how educational research has developed their practice and transformed their students' learning. 

This isn't theoretical jargon; it's real teachers discussing real breakthroughs they've witnessed in their own classrooms. Every episode comes with signposted links on our website to books, materials and published resources mentioned, plus downloadable transcripts for accessibility, making it perfect for sparking meaningful discussions in your next staff meeting. Whether you're walking, riding or driving to work, let Staffroom Catch-Up expand your colleague community beyond your school, and discover fresh perspectives to ponder and interrogate. Your commute just became your most valuable CPD time!

In our first episode, Fran talks to headteacher Julia Norman about being involved in mathematics research projects, while in the second episode she catches up with early years team leader Esther O'Connor.

Staffroom Catch-Up will be published monthly and can be accessed via the Cambridge Mathematics website or any platform where you usually access your podcasts.

We'd love your feedback! Once you've listened to an episode, please answer a few brief questions to tell us what you thought. 

UNESCO Digital Learning Week

The organisers say: The increasing integration of AI into education presents both transformative opportunities and complex challenges, reshaping pedagogies, curricula and education governance while raising critical questions about equity, ethics and human agency. As debates swirl over AI's disruptive potential – ranging from hyperbolic promises to more cautionary approaches – education systems must navigate dilemmas, including the implications of digital surveillance, systemic biases and the potential erosion of human accountability in education decision-making to recalibrate positive new directions for education futures.

Under the theme "AI and the future of education: Disruptions, dilemmas and directions", Digital Learning Week 2025 will assist in charting pathways for equitable, ethical and human-driven AI integration in education, ensuring technology serves as a force for inclusive progress.

Attending the conference

CIEP Conference 2025: The Value of the Editorial Profession

The organisers say: Editorial standards are more important than ever. The rapid escalation of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is bringing constant challenges, and the unstable economic situation has brought about cost-cutting pressures that impact the work and daily lives of editorial professionals.

This conference will focus on discussions that seek to offer solutions to these challenges, as well as providing practical support and ideas to help editorial professionals demonstrate the value they bring to promoting excellence in English language editing and proofreading.

Attending the conference

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