I didn’t use to be like this. I used to be like most of the population: numbers were vaguely threatening, ‘maths’ was something you used in school but probably never anywhere else, and statistics were a tool used by politicians to con the populace.

My mathematical ‘awakening’ came when I was nineteen years old and studying philosophy. While exploring the very real, human experience of the passing of time, I realised that this supposedly vague concept could be described, evaluated and tested not just in traditional language, but in a uniquely expressive and symbolic language – mathematics. Imagine: you can actually write equations that explain why time goes forward, and not backwards!

To be clear, I didn’t have the mathematical knowledge to be able to do that at nineteen. But the very realisation that it might be possible changed my mindset about what mathematics was. I came to believe that mathematics provides a beautiful and elegant way of thinking about the world, that my days are richer and more interesting for having this additional lens on the world, and that instilling a love of mathematics in all of us is valuable in and of itself.

Most of the kids in our classrooms don’t believe those things. Hell, most of the adults in our world don’t believe them. “I’m not a maths person”. “Maths is mostly for boys”. “I was never good at maths”. “Maths doesn’t make sense”.

Maths Pathway rages against this every day. We came into existence to rage against it – and yes, I’m using the word “rage” intentionally. How as educators, politicians, philanthropists and society-at-large can we accept this level of discomfort, of anxiety, of sheer terror when it comes to maths? By far the majority of our children finish school never really understanding maths; never seeing what is beautiful about it, what is exciting about it, what is powerful about it. The mission of the teachers, students, parents, schools and partners who are part of the Maths Pathway community is to ensure that the next generation sees all of that. We’re going to ensure they walk into maths class and feel like this is the best part of the day.

What will success look like? Nothing less than a world that, for the first time in human history, understands and is entirely comfortable with mathematics. It will be a world that most of us won’t even recognise – a population that can’t be manipulated by ‘statistics’, that can solve even the most intractable social and scientific problems, whose interactions with each other are rich, deep and thoughtful.



Richard Wilson
Co-founder and Chief Visionary

Sonia Sharp

Partner at EY

Sonia is a Partner at EY, and has previously been Deputy Secretary for Early Childhood and School Education in the Victorian Department of Education and Training. Sonia brings a strong strategic perspective, extensive senior leadership experience, the ability to interpret organisational and cultural dynamics, and a knack for translating strategic direction into language that influences behaviour. She has a background in teaching, educational psychology and research; and works across Australia providing bespoke advice on school improvement and education strategy.

Roslyn Prinsley

Head Strategic Research Initiatives at ANU

Roslyn is deeply committed to improving STEM outcomes in Australia. Previously, she has held the roles of Senior Adviser, STEM Education, within the Australian Government Department of Education and Training, and National Adviser for Mathematics and Science Education and Industry, advising the Chief Scientist on all matters related to STEM education. Roslyn has also been a Principal Strategic Consultant with Sinclair Knight Merz, held a number of senior positions at the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, and worked for the Commonwealth Science Adviser in the United Kingdom. Roslyn holds a Bachelor of Science, a Diploma of Education (Science), a PhD in photosynthesis, and a Masters in Intellectual Property Law and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She has published over 90 books and reports and also worked as a science and mathematics teacher early in her career.

Robyn Mildon

Executive Director of the Centre for Evidence and Implementation (CEI)

Robyn Mildon, PhD, is an internationally recognised figure in the field of evidence synthesis and translation, implementation science and program and policy evaluations in health and human services. She is the Founding Executive Director of the Centre for Evidence and Implementation (CEI), an Honorary Associate Professor with the University of Melbourne, and the inaugural Co-Chair of the Knowledge Translation and Implementation Group with the Campbell Collaboration, an international systematic review group.

Rob Randall

Former CEO of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)

Robert has recently completed two terms as Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), first taking up that role in November 2012.

Robert began his career as a teacher of mathematics in Perth before holding a range of positions within and beyond schools in Western Australia. In 1996 Robert was appointed Director, Curriculum, with the NSW Board of Studies, and in 2001 took up the position of Director of Curriculum K–12 with the NSW Department of Education and Training.

Melodie Potts Rosevear

CEO, Teach for Australia

Melodie is the founder and CEO of Teach For Australia, a not-for-profit organisation that is helping provide excellent education for all children, regardless of their background. Previously she was a founding staff member of the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership in Queensland, focused on Indigenous and social policy. In her time as Think Tank Coordinator, Melodie helped to advance the Institute’s ambitious reform agenda through policy research, community engagement and helping to establish operational and business models.