Alison Kiddle
@alisonkiddle.bsky.social
Maths communicator and education consultant based in the East of England. Keen crafter. Autistic, Queer, They/Them
Who else is at #mathsjam this weekend?
This weekend is Big MathsJam, aka the MathsJam UK Gathering. We'll be posting from here about the interesting maths talks people are sharing, and if you'd like to share anything from the event (with permission of anyone featured!) you can use #mathsjam.
November 22, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Who else is at #mathsjam this weekend?
I had a lot of fun writing this one! Although I think some cellular automata rules fall into the category 'maddening' rather than 'mindful'...
Watch out for more 15 minute maths activities in the next couple of months - the lovely @steckl.es and I have some exciting plans in the works!
Watch out for more 15 minute maths activities in the next couple of months - the lovely @steckl.es and I have some exciting plans in the works!
New maths resources alert! We now have a cellular automata activity on 15minutemaths.com, made by the lovely @alisonkiddle.bsky.social - grab yourself some printables, slides and session leader notes to run an interesting and mindful maths activity!
Visit 15 Minute Maths's Shop!
I've opened a shop. Come take a look!
15minutemaths.com
October 31, 2025 at 12:15 PM
I had a lot of fun writing this one! Although I think some cellular automata rules fall into the category 'maddening' rather than 'mindful'...
Watch out for more 15 minute maths activities in the next couple of months - the lovely @steckl.es and I have some exciting plans in the works!
Watch out for more 15 minute maths activities in the next couple of months - the lovely @steckl.es and I have some exciting plans in the works!
I've not been on here as much as I'd have liked lately - it turns out that being part of the @tmip.bsky.social committee becomes very full on and intense in the run up to and during the biennial conference. But #tmip25 is now done and dusted, so allow me to share a couple of highlights...
August 30, 2025 at 6:54 PM
I've not been on here as much as I'd have liked lately - it turns out that being part of the @tmip.bsky.social committee becomes very full on and intense in the run up to and during the biennial conference. But #tmip25 is now done and dusted, so allow me to share a couple of highlights...
Hope everyone else is having a great time at #tmip25. One thing I love is how much of the discussion on the hashtag is about the mathematical music last night, and the mathematical art on display - proof if it were needed that creativity and mathematics go hand in hand
August 28, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Hope everyone else is having a great time at #tmip25. One thing I love is how much of the discussion on the hashtag is about the mathematical music last night, and the mathematical art on display - proof if it were needed that creativity and mathematics go hand in hand
Hope everyone's coping with the heatwave better than my fridge is! Here's a Real World Maths Question: if a fridge thermostat has no numbers and just has a sliding scale marked Max at one end end Min at the other, which way do I turn it to make the fridge get colder?
August 13, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Hope everyone's coping with the heatwave better than my fridge is! Here's a Real World Maths Question: if a fridge thermostat has no numbers and just has a sliding scale marked Max at one end end Min at the other, which way do I turn it to make the fridge get colder?
What's a normal sensible number of knitting machines to own? And how many is too many?
August 7, 2025 at 5:18 PM
What's a normal sensible number of knitting machines to own? And how many is too many?
What do you notice?
What do you wonder?
What do you wonder?
July 18, 2025 at 2:10 PM
What do you notice?
What do you wonder?
What do you wonder?
Last day of #BigEvent25 today 😢 It's been lovely hanging out with my friends and the Royal Institution is such a great place to reflect on being a STEM communicator.
Best bit? Seeing the amazing @steckl.es receive the Beetlestone Award - so good to see my fave mathematician be publicly recognised!
Best bit? Seeing the amazing @steckl.es receive the Beetlestone Award - so good to see my fave mathematician be publicly recognised!
July 18, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Last day of #BigEvent25 today 😢 It's been lovely hanging out with my friends and the Royal Institution is such a great place to reflect on being a STEM communicator.
Best bit? Seeing the amazing @steckl.es receive the Beetlestone Award - so good to see my fave mathematician be publicly recognised!
Best bit? Seeing the amazing @steckl.es receive the Beetlestone Award - so good to see my fave mathematician be publicly recognised!
This week, I'm at #BIGEvent25, sharing and learning all things STEM communication. Today is a long day so I'm sitting in the corner braiding for a bit - so nice to be at an event with a crafty corner. Really looking forward to watching some demos in the best demo competition later!
July 17, 2025 at 2:48 PM
This week, I'm at #BIGEvent25, sharing and learning all things STEM communication. Today is a long day so I'm sitting in the corner braiding for a bit - so nice to be at an event with a crafty corner. Really looking forward to watching some demos in the best demo competition later!
What do you notice?
What do you wonder?
What mathematical questions could you explore?
What do you wonder?
What mathematical questions could you explore?
July 17, 2025 at 9:17 AM
What do you notice?
What do you wonder?
What mathematical questions could you explore?
What do you wonder?
What mathematical questions could you explore?
Reposted by Alison Kiddle
I love all the pins I've made but my Botanic Pride #SciArt collection will always be my favourites. Each pin comes with its own scientific fact, highlighting the real queerness that exists in plants 🌿 If you know someone who'd enjoy them then please share! canopyrobin.etsy.com?etsrc=sdt&se...
June 10, 2025 at 1:54 PM
I love all the pins I've made but my Botanic Pride #SciArt collection will always be my favourites. Each pin comes with its own scientific fact, highlighting the real queerness that exists in plants 🌿 If you know someone who'd enjoy them then please share! canopyrobin.etsy.com?etsrc=sdt&se...
In Exeter today, talking about number theory with some year 9 students. We'll be making some conjectures and trying to prove them... And learning about the Twin Primes conjecture too... Will one of these students go on to work on it someday?
June 24, 2025 at 10:23 AM
In Exeter today, talking about number theory with some year 9 students. We'll be making some conjectures and trying to prove them... And learning about the Twin Primes conjecture too... Will one of these students go on to work on it someday?
It's hard to imagine a more deserving winner - Congratulations, Katie!
🌟 Beetlestone Award 2025 🌟
The Beetlestone Award Organising Committee is delighted to announce the 2025 winner of this prestigious Award, given for leadership and legacy in Communicating Science, is Dr Katie Steckles.
The Beetlestone Award Organising Committee is delighted to announce the 2025 winner of this prestigious Award, given for leadership and legacy in Communicating Science, is Dr Katie Steckles.
June 23, 2025 at 10:28 AM
It's hard to imagine a more deserving winner - Congratulations, Katie!
Very excited about the BIG Event next month - I learned so much from my first BIG two years ago, and I am really looking forward to meeting friends and making new connections!
If you're involved in STEM communication, you should seriously consider coming along either in person or online.
If you're involved in STEM communication, you should seriously consider coming along either in person or online.
There's still time to book your tickets for this year's BIG Event at the RI in London, 16th - 18th July. Come for one, two or all three days, or join sessions online if you can't get there in person.
Browse the programme and book your tickets at www.big.uk.com/BIG2025
#BIGEvent25
Browse the programme and book your tickets at www.big.uk.com/BIG2025
#BIGEvent25
June 16, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Very excited about the BIG Event next month - I learned so much from my first BIG two years ago, and I am really looking forward to meeting friends and making new connections!
If you're involved in STEM communication, you should seriously consider coming along either in person or online.
If you're involved in STEM communication, you should seriously consider coming along either in person or online.
Reposted by Alison Kiddle
If you think these are pretty but you're not trans and you're worried you shouldn't wear them, just go for it. You have permission. Enjoy the pretty fern and have fun confusing the transphobes. Wear it as a reminder to be an active ally. canopyrobin.etsy.com/listing/4312... #SciArt
June 2, 2025 at 7:31 PM
If you think these are pretty but you're not trans and you're worried you shouldn't wear them, just go for it. You have permission. Enjoy the pretty fern and have fun confusing the transphobes. Wear it as a reminder to be an active ally. canopyrobin.etsy.com/listing/4312... #SciArt
Reposted by Alison Kiddle
It's my birthday later this week, and I'm entering my mid-30s.
Fancy throwing some coin to a withering old man so can treat himself for his annual "I'm still alive" celebrations?
ko-fi.com/samsighs
Fancy throwing some coin to a withering old man so can treat himself for his annual "I'm still alive" celebrations?
ko-fi.com/samsighs
Buy Sam Sighs a Coffee
Become a supporter of Sam Sighs today!
ko-fi.com
June 9, 2025 at 9:26 AM
It's my birthday later this week, and I'm entering my mid-30s.
Fancy throwing some coin to a withering old man so can treat himself for his annual "I'm still alive" celebrations?
ko-fi.com/samsighs
Fancy throwing some coin to a withering old man so can treat himself for his annual "I'm still alive" celebrations?
ko-fi.com/samsighs
I did a quick bit of modelling, and based on my assumptions I'm not convinced there are actually millions of possible meal deal combinations at my local petrol station. Change my mind!
June 8, 2025 at 6:50 PM
I did a quick bit of modelling, and based on my assumptions I'm not convinced there are actually millions of possible meal deal combinations at my local petrol station. Change my mind!
Love these, particularly the progress pride flag resources. And if anyone asks when they'll ever use this in real life - I remember doing a bunch of calculations last year when I knitted a pride flag, particularly working out areas so I knew how much yarn I would need!
It's Pride Month.
I feel like it is important to recognise this in school, especially given recent developments at home and abroad.
Here's two ways I'm doing that.
LGBTQIA+ Mathematicians (new!): interwovenmaths.com/famous-mathe...
Pride Flag Maths activities:
interwovenmaths.com/pride-flag-m...
I feel like it is important to recognise this in school, especially given recent developments at home and abroad.
Here's two ways I'm doing that.
LGBTQIA+ Mathematicians (new!): interwovenmaths.com/famous-mathe...
Pride Flag Maths activities:
interwovenmaths.com/pride-flag-m...
June 3, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Love these, particularly the progress pride flag resources. And if anyone asks when they'll ever use this in real life - I remember doing a bunch of calculations last year when I knitted a pride flag, particularly working out areas so I knew how much yarn I would need!
This is neat!
Here's one that I had to double-check because I didn't believe the answer.
Consider a quadrilateral with corners at (0,0), (2,0), (a,b), and (0,2) where (a,b) is such that a, b > 0 and a + b > 2 (this is just to ensure it's convex).
What's its area, in terms of a and b?
#UKMathsChat #mathsky
Consider a quadrilateral with corners at (0,0), (2,0), (a,b), and (0,2) where (a,b) is such that a, b > 0 and a + b > 2 (this is just to ensure it's convex).
What's its area, in terms of a and b?
#UKMathsChat #mathsky
May 29, 2025 at 5:59 PM
This is neat!
Reposted by Alison Kiddle
We'll have discussions at #TMiP25 on gender balance in maths communication with @acescicomm.bsky.social and @alisonkiddle.bsky.social, and communicating maths in spoken formats with Prof Ian Stewart. Tickets at talkingmathsinpublic.uk
May 29, 2025 at 5:46 PM
We'll have discussions at #TMiP25 on gender balance in maths communication with @acescicomm.bsky.social and @alisonkiddle.bsky.social, and communicating maths in spoken formats with Prof Ian Stewart. Tickets at talkingmathsinpublic.uk
Been thinking about number theory today. What's your favourite number theory puzzle or fact? I'll go first:
Choose a prime number bigger than 3. Square it. Subtract 1. Will you always get a multiple of 24?
Choose a prime number bigger than 3. Square it. Subtract 1. Will you always get a multiple of 24?
May 28, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Been thinking about number theory today. What's your favourite number theory puzzle or fact? I'll go first:
Choose a prime number bigger than 3. Square it. Subtract 1. Will you always get a multiple of 24?
Choose a prime number bigger than 3. Square it. Subtract 1. Will you always get a multiple of 24?
We had a go at this at Mathsjam this evening and enjoyed it!
The sum of the terms in a particular arithmetic sequence is 75.
If you only sum EVERY OTHER term (starting at and ending on the same terms as before), you get 39.
What is the sum of EVERY THIRD term (again, starting at and ending on the same terms)?
#iTeachMath
If you only sum EVERY OTHER term (starting at and ending on the same terms as before), you get 39.
What is the sum of EVERY THIRD term (again, starting at and ending on the same terms)?
#iTeachMath
May 21, 2025 at 8:53 PM
We had a go at this at Mathsjam this evening and enjoyed it!
Reposted by Alison Kiddle
Craig Barton's newsletter today talks about departments having consistent methods in maths.
I'm curious: if your HoD insisted on everyone teaching the same method, what methods would you be very upset at having to let go of?
#UKMathsChat #ITeachMaths #mathsky #mathscpdchat
I'm curious: if your HoD insisted on everyone teaching the same method, what methods would you be very upset at having to let go of?
#UKMathsChat #ITeachMaths #mathsky #mathscpdchat
May 20, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Craig Barton's newsletter today talks about departments having consistent methods in maths.
I'm curious: if your HoD insisted on everyone teaching the same method, what methods would you be very upset at having to let go of?
#UKMathsChat #ITeachMaths #mathsky #mathscpdchat
I'm curious: if your HoD insisted on everyone teaching the same method, what methods would you be very upset at having to let go of?
#UKMathsChat #ITeachMaths #mathsky #mathscpdchat
We're experimenting with having Cambridge Mathsjam on a Wednesday instead of a Tuesday so I'm off into town. Taking my vintage calculator with me! (Is late 90s vintage? Seems like yesterday)
Your post inspired me to dig this out of my desk drawer and put some batteries in. It still works! My first graphical/programmable calculator and the one that got me through A Levels (1997-1999)
May 21, 2025 at 4:27 PM
We're experimenting with having Cambridge Mathsjam on a Wednesday instead of a Tuesday so I'm off into town. Taking my vintage calculator with me! (Is late 90s vintage? Seems like yesterday)