The Conversation is a recently established web journal dedicated to making academic and related policy issues accessible to an informed public. The editors write:
The Conversation is an independent source of information, analysis and commentary from the university and research sector – written by acknowledged experts and delivered directly to the public. As professional journalists, we aim to make this wealth of knowledge and expertise accessible to all.
So far this has been done in a most lively and stimulating fashion; it is garnering readers within and without the academy from across the world let us hope it can be sustained and funded.
Half of Math Drudge has written twice for the Conversation; most recently a piece entitled If I had a blank cheque I’d…. as part of a weekly series “in which leading researchers reveal what they could (and would) do in their discipline if money were no object.”
Today we hear from Jon “Doctor Pi” Borwein, Laureate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Newcastle.
Project: Recalibrate Watson to solve maths problems
Cost: $500 million
Timeframe: Five yearsMathematics has many grand challenge problems, but none that can potentially be settled by pouring in more money – unlike the case of theLarge Hadron Collider, the Square Kilometre Array or other such projects.
Maths is a different beast. But, of course, you’re offering me unlimited, free dosh, so I should really think of something. Read on at the Conversation.