Tell us about your background
I'm from Newmilns, a wee town in East Ayrshire – it's where I was brought up and still live. After Newmilns Primary I headed off to Loudoun Academy. I began to really love Maths around this time but the clincher was when Sir Andrew Wiles announced his proof of Fermat's Last Theorem. After centuries of struggle, this massive breakthrough happened while I was still at school and so I decided it had to be Maths for me.
Strathclyde Maths Department was an inspirational place to study with so many brilliant researchers and some stunning teachers. I left with a first-class degree but much more – I had a real sense of the relevance of Maths and how it could explain the world we live in. Strathclyde lived up to its motto: The place of useful learning!"
What is the best part of your job?
Working with young people is something special. Of course teenagers can be challenging. Of course they can be moody. But working with pupils is an overwhelmingly fun and rewarding experience. Whether it's singing Mathsy songs in class, organising Maths Camp for over 100 pupils or unleashing geeky puzzles, it's the pupils' growing excitement for the subject that makes it worth it. Talking about a subject I love with smashing young people day in, day out, is a real joy! Our antics every year on PiDay are legendary. One of my all-time favourites is our musical tribute to the mathematical constant.
