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Breaking Math Podcast

The Math Behind Gerrymandering, Fair Representation, and Politics with Karen Saxe

3/17/202635 min

Mathematics quietly shapes some of the most important decisions in public life, from redistricting and congressional apportionment to federal research funding and AI policy. In this episode, Autumn and Noah speak with Dr. Karen Saxe, Senior Vice President of Government Relations at the American Mathematical Society, about how mathematical ideas influence representation, fairness, education, and the future of research. From gerrymandering and geometric compactness to life inside the U.S. Senate and the growing policy debates around AI, Karen reveals how deeply math is woven into the systems that govern everyday life.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to...

Clips

Should Mathematicians Chase AI?
NSF’s Mission Under Pressure
From Proofs To Policy Memos
Why Districts Aren’t Circles
Hamilton’s Plan, Washington’s Veto
Do Politicians Hear Mathematicians?
Three Mathematicians Walk In
A Quiet Win For Grad Students
No Perfect Apportionment Method
Message To Political Leaders

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

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  4. Autumn Phaneuf· Host0:59

    What if I told you that some of the most political debates in America hinge on extremely mathematical ideas, like what it even means for a shape to be compact, how you measure fairness, and why there might not be a single best way to do apportionment at all? Today on Breaking Math, we're joined by Dr. Karen Sachs, Director of Government Relations at the American Mathematical Society. Karen has spent her career living at the intersection of math,

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