#37 Teaching maths in Africa: an interview with Professor Franca Hoffmann
Episode published: 11/02/22
In episode #37 of Living Proof, Dan Aspel and Christie Marr are joined by Professor Franca Hoffmann of the University of Bonn.
Professor Hoffmann has spent much of the past decade working with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, its Quantum Leap Africa initiative, and a host of other groups and NGOs across the African continent, all focused on the support and pursuit of higher mathematics. And yet, in her own words, she’s still “very junior” at her home institution herself. So how did she – whilst still an undergraduate – find such mutually beneficial opportunities working far from home across numerous cultures? And how could those in a similar position follow her footsteps and unlock new possibilities for themselves and others? Franca’s story answers these questions and more.
00:00 – Introduction
01:44 – Welcome (“when I was at high school, I didn’t think of myself as a mathematician at all… I just wanted to study everything”)
04:50 – Discussing the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (“AIMS has enabled me to balance my passions in a very beautiful way”)
06:14 – (note: same building, not same room!)
10:25 – (note: the NGO was not entirely run by Ghanaians, but by people based in Ghana of various nationalities)
12:40 – How it began: “One day I got a message on Facebook saying ‘hey, do you want to come teach math in Africa?’”
17:20 – “The best thing is not to let yourself get confused with stereotypes. It is possible to put together a job that suits you. Any opportunity that allows you to discover where your strengths and passion are is great.”
20:40 – “Who that I know in Germany would get up at 4am to go to a math lecture?… I want to be able to share the opportunities that I have to people who are really deserving of them”
21:40 – Discussing Quantum Leap Africa
26:30 – “I’m still very junior in my career myself, so AIMS stepping up to me and saying ‘we’d like you to take care of this Doctorate training programme was a big step”
29:14 – Being a torchbearer (literally) for Imperial College at the 2012 London Olympics (“I thought it was spam, so I deleted the email!”)
32:08 – (note: the military veteran was Jaco Van Gass, who lost his left arm, part of his left leg and sustaining severe internal injuries in Afghanistan – not all four of his major limbs as said in this podcast)
36:50 – Impressions of INI programmes, interactions with other participants, the value of in-person conversation
Related links:
- Jaco van Gass: https://www.jacovangass.com/#intro
- African Institute for Mathematical Sciences: https://nexteinstein.org/
- Quantum Leap Africa: https://quantumleapafrica.org/, https://quantumleapafrica.org/course/phd-in-data-science/
- African Mathematics Initiative: https://www.facebook.com/africanmathsinitiative.net/
- Supporting African Mathematics Initiatives: https://samicharity.co.uk/about/
- MISE Foundation: https://misemaths.wordpress.com/
Dan Aspel and Christie Marr speak to Professor Franca Hoffmann, who has spent much of the past decade working with mathematical initiatives across the African continent.
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