Voices of Mathematics: Julian Sahasrabudhe

Voices of Mathematics: Julian Sahasrabudhe

Welcome to Voices of Mathematics, the podcast from the Mathematics Faculty at the University of Cambridge. From number theory and geometry to cosmology and quantum physics, join us to explore topics across pure and applied mathematics, mathematical statistics and theoretical physics. In this episode we talk to Julian Sahasrabudhe, Professor of Combinatorics in the Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics (DPMMS). Julian Sahasrabudhe and his collaborators have made headlines for a number of recent breakthroughs, including remarkable results in sphere packing, which you can imagine in terms of packing oranges into a very large, higher-dimensional box, and Ramsey theory, which involves finding order within systems which, at first sight, appear completely disordered. His outstanding research has been rewarded with several prizes, including a Whitehead Prize in 2024. Julian is also one of the invited speakers at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in July 2026. Taking place every four years, the ICM is one of the highlights of the mathematical calendar: it celebrates the diversity and excitement of modern mathematics, and also sees the award of some of the subject's most prestigious prizes, including the famous Fields Medals. We talked to Julian to learn more about his path into mathematics, a brief introduction to his work in the field of combinatorics and how it offers partnerships with other areas of maths, and the advice he'd give on how to make progress when wrestling with hard problems. And we also heard from Julian on what he's most looking forward to about attending this year's ICM.   The podcast is hosted by Marianne Freiberger and Rachel Thomas, Editors of Plus [https://plus.maths.org], from the communications and outreach team at the Mathematics Faculty. To find out more about topics mentioned in this podcast see: * Our 2024 article exploring Julian Sahasrabudhe's work [https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/features/counting-connections-julian-sahasrabudhe-wins-whitehead-prize] when he won the Whitehead Prize. * The podcast mentions Fields Medallist Maryna Viazovska's work on sphere packings - find out more in this Plus article [https://plus.maths.org/mv]. * Meet all three of the Cambridge speakers at the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians in this article [https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/features/three-cambridge-mathematicians-invited-speak-icm-2026].   Discover more about the University of Cambridge Faculty of Mathematics at maths.cam.ac.uk [https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/].

Statistics, Cambridge and the ICM: Richard Samworth

Welcome to Voices of Mathematics, a podcast from the Mathematics Faculty at the University of Cambridge. From number theory and geometry to cosmology and quantum physics, join us to explore topics across pure and applied mathematics, mathematical statistics and theoretical physics. In this episode we talk to Richard Samworth, Professor of Statistical Science and Director of the Statistical Laboratory in the Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics (DPMMS).  Richard Samworth's outstanding contributions to statistics have been recognised with numerous honours and awards. In 2025, he won two prestigious prizes in the space of 24 hours – the David Cox Medal for Statistics and the Guy Medal in Silver. He has also been invited to speak at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in July 2026. Held every four years, the ICM features the world's leaders in the field and celebrates the diversity of today’s mathematics. Only mathematicians whose work is of the highest international standard are invited to speak at the week-long event, which usually draws thousands of participants working in all areas of maths. The ICM also sees the award of some of the most prestigious prizes in mathematics, including the famous Fields Medals. In this episode, we talk to Richard to find out more about the work he will be speaking about at the ICM, how his field of statistics balances being simultaneously very theoretical and very applied, and what he most values about being part of the mathematical community in DPMMS.   The podcast is hosted by Marianne Freiberger and Rachel Thomas, Editors of Plus [https://plus.maths.org], from the communications and outreach team at the Mathematics Faculty. To find out more about topics mentioned in this podcast see: * Our 2025 article exploring Richard Samworth's work [https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/features/richard-samworth-wins-two-major-prizes-statistics] when he won both the David Cox Medal for Statistics and the Guy Medal in Silver. * Find out more about the Cambridge speakers at the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians in this article [https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/features/three-cambridge-mathematicians-invited-speak-icm-2026].   Discover more about the University of Cambridge Faculty of Mathematics at maths.cam.ac.uk [https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/].

AI and data intensive science: James Fergusson

Welcome to Voices of Mathematics, a podcast from the Mathematics Faculty at the University of Cambridge. From number theory and geometry to cosmology and quantum physics, join us to explore topics across pure and applied mathematics, mathematical statistics and theoretical physics. In this episode we talk to James Fergusson, Professor of Theoretical Cosmology in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. James is also the Executive Director of the University of Cambridge's innovative new Master's programme in Data Intensive Science, and the Director of the Infosys-Cambridge AI Centre. Fergusson's innovative collaboration with Infosys, a global consulting company and leader in next-generation digital services, is an outstanding example of how the University and industry can collaborate on cutting edge research with real impact and benefits for both sectors. "Out of our conversations with Infosys, we realised that a lot of the research challenges we have [in academia] are very similar to the challenges that large enterprises have," says Fergusson. "One of the really interesting things we are talking to companies about is how do you take these ideas from research and build them into robust, reliable systems that can be widely used."  As well as exploring the potential of what AI can do in industry, Fergusson is also key in equipping the next generation of researchers through an innovative Master's programme: the University of Cambridge's MPhil in Data Intensive Science [https://mphildis.bigdata.cam.ac.uk/]. Rather than a more traditional Master's course which focuses on one specific subject, Fergusson says the MPhil is intended to be more like vocational training, giving students the full package of skills that researchers in this field will need.  "My hope is that people who come to us on this Master's take the great training they have from their undergraduate courses, and then use this vocational training on how to use these cutting-edge tools to drive the next round of exciting breakthroughs," he says.  We talked to James to learn more about the potential of AI to drive forward scientific discovery, how industry and academia can work together, and training the researchers of the future through the MPhil in Data Intensive Science.   The podcast is hosted by Marianne Freiberger and Rachel Thomas, Editors of Plus [https://plus.maths.org], from the communications and outreach team at the Mathematics Faculty.   To find out more about topics mentioned in this podcast see: * Our accompanying article Building bridges between academia and industry [https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/features/building-bridges-between-academia-and-industry] * The University of Cambridge's MPhil in Data Intensive Science [https://mphildis.bigdata.cam.ac.uk/] Discover more about the University of Cambridge Faculty of Mathematics at maths.cam.ac.uk [https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/].

Black holes, dark stars and gravitational waves: Ulrich Sperhake and Seppe Staelens

Welcome to Voices of Mathematics, a podcast from the Mathematics Faculty at the University of Cambridge. From number theory and geometry to cosmology and quantum physics, join us to explore topics across pure and applied mathematics, mathematical statistics and theoretical physics. In this episode we talk to two members of the Stephen Hawking Centre for Theoretical Cosmology in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. Ulrich Sperhake, Professor of Theoretical Physics, and graduate student Seppe Staelens discuss their fascinating research. Gravitational waves, whose discovery was announced ten years ago, have provided a wealth of information about what physicists believe are black holes. But could other objects be hiding in this data too?  "Gravitational wave signals are like fingerprints," says Sperhake. "You and I have similar fingerprints, but they are not the same. Similarly, subtle differences allow us to tell from an observed gravitational wave the properties of the black holes, or neutron stars, that emitted it." Because gravitational waves carry the imprint of the objects that caused them, they have given us a new tool for observing the Universe. And in the ten years since the first detection we have learnt a lot. Gravitational waves have given us the first observational evidence for the existence of black hole binaries, for example, and they have helped to survey the population of black holes that are out there. But at the same time, physicists have been caught in a kind of trap. When they identify an object or event on the basis of its gravitational wave fingerprint, it's like the police matching a fingerprint found at a crime scene to one found in the police database.  However, the person who left their fingerprint at the crime scene might not be on police record, so a close match in the police database would point to the wrong culprit. Similarly, a close match in the gravitational wave database would only ever point to a black hole or neutron star merger, when in reality the fingerprint might have come from something entirely different. The true culprit would never be discovered. When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail For this reason physicists, including Sperhake and his colleagues, have sought to extend their database of fingerprints. To do this they reached for made-up objects we don't know really exist: boson stars. We talk to Ulrich Sperhake and Seppe Staelens to find out more about gravitational waves, and how imagining hypothetical objects can help physicists explore the Universe further.   The podcast is hosted by Marianne Freiberger and Rachel Thomas, Editors of Plus [https://plus.maths.org], from the communications and outreach team at the Mathematics Faculty.   To find out more about topics mentioned in this podcast see: * Our article Dark stars: new theories shed light on black holes [https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/features/dark-stars-new-theories-shed-light-black-holes] * Our article Boson stars: beyond vanilla [https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/features/boson-stars-beyond-vanilla] Discover more about the University of Cambridge Faculty of Mathematics at maths.cam.ac.uk [https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/].    Image showing the first depiction of hot plasma around what is believed to be a black hole, captured by the Event Horizon Telescope. Image credit EHT collaboration, [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black_hole_-_Messier_87.jpg]CC BY 4.0 [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/].

Voices of Mathematics: Hannah Fry

Welcome to Voices of Mathematics, a podcast from the Mathematics Faculty at the University of Cambridge. In this episode, we revisit one of our favourite interviews from the last year with Professor Hannah Fry. In January 2025 mathematician, author and broadcaster Hannah Fry joined the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics as Cambridge's first Professor of the Public Understanding of Mathematics. In this podcast, Hannah Fry talks about how her interest in public engagement grew directly out of her research as a mathematician, reveals how she got into maths in the first place, and shares one of her favourite mathematical moments. The podcast was recorded in November 2024 when her appointment was announced to an excited audience at a conference on communicating mathematics, held at the Isaac Newton Institute here in Cambridge. The event was organised by the podcast hosts Dr Marianne Freiberger and Rachel Thomas, the Editors of Plus (plus.maths.org [https://plus.maths.org]).    To learn more about the topics mentioned in this podcast, see: * our article [https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/features/hannah-fry-appointed-professor-public-understanding-mathematics] about Hannah Fry's appointment as Professor of the Public Understanding of Mathematics * Hannah Fry on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/fryrsquared/?hl=en-gb]    The original episode was released by Plus [https://plus.maths.org], part of the Faculty's family of engagement, outreach and education projects (maths.org [https://maths.org]), for the Maths on the Move [https://plus.maths.org/content/hannah-fry-mathematics-people] podcast. Discover more about study, research and outreach at the Faculty of Mathematics at maths.cam.ac.uk [https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk].