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Coralie Colmez

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coralie Colmez
OccupationAuthor, tutor
LanguageEnglish, French
NationalityFrench
EducationBachelor of Arts
Alma materUniversity of Cambridge
SubjectMathematics

Coralie Colmez is a French author and tutor in mathematics and mathematics education.

Early life and career

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Coralie Colmez is the daughter of mathematicians Pierre Colmez and Leila Schneps.[1][2] Colmez was raised in Paris.[1]

After completing her secondary education in Paris, Colmez moved to the United Kingdom and attended Gonville and Caius College of the University of Cambridge under a Cambridge European Trust scholarship, completing a first-class Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and winning the Ryan Prize in Higher Mathematics.[3]

Professional

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Colmez worked for one year as a research assistant on Carol Vorderman's task force, commissioned by the UK government to study the state of mathematics education in the United Kingdom,[4] and assisted with the presentation of the findings to the Joint Mathematics Council.[5] She is now a co-director of unifrog, an organization that helps students discover future career pathways, apprenticeships and university courses, and teachers track their progress.[6]

Writing

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Coralie Colmez addressing students

With her mother, mathematician Leila Schneps, Colmez co-authored Math on Trial: How Numbers Get Used and Abused in the Courtroom.[7] This book, published in 2013 by Basic Books, targeted for a general audience, uses ten historical legal cases to show how mathematics, especially statistics, can affect the outcome of criminal proceedings, especially when incorrectly applied or interpreted. In 2022 Coralie published The Irrational Diary of Clara Valentine,[8] a YA novel which includes high level mathematical concepts with the aim to introduce them to younger readers.

Public speaking

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Coralie Colmez speaking at QEDCon conference in 2014

Since the publication of Math on Trial, Colmez has been an invited speaker at scientific education events in the UK. She has presented to the Conway Hall Ethical Society,[9] the Cambridge Centre for Sixth-Form Studies,[10] several shows for Maths Inspiration, including one at the University of Cambridge,[11] and the 2014 QED conference.[12][13] She has appeared on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, discussing her book's subject of criminal trials in which math is used incorrectly or insufficiently,[14] and on the BBC Radio 4 podcast, More or Less, discussing the same topic in relation to the Amanda Knox case.[15]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Allow me to explain, Your Honour". The Economist. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  2. ^ Tsui, Diana (9 January 2018). "The Mathematician Who Moonlights As a Rock-Band Violinist". The Cut. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  3. ^ Coralie Colmez Biography, Andrew Lownie Literary Agency, retrieved 2014-01-05
  4. ^ Vorderman, Carol; Porkess, Roger; Budd, Chris; Dunne, Richard; Rahman-Hart, Pepe (2011), A world-class mathematics education for all our young people, retrieved 2013-12-22
  5. ^ Minutes of JMC Council Meeting held at the Royal Society, Joint Mathematical Council of the United Kingdom, 2010, retrieved 2014-01-02
  6. ^ "Decision time: are your students choosing the best universities for them?". Schools Improvement Net. 2013-06-11. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  7. ^ Schneps, Leila; Colmez, Coralie (2013), Math on Trial: How Numbers Get Used and Abused in the Courtroom, New York: Basic Books, ISBN 978-0465032921
  8. ^ "The Irrational Diary of Clara Valentine". Goodreads. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  9. ^ "Sunday Lecture: Maths on Trial - How Numbers Get Used and Abused in the Courtroom", Conway Hall Ethical Society, 2013-12-20
  10. ^ Maths trip to Stephen Hawking\'s Lecture Theatre, Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies, 2013-12-22, archived from the original on 2014-03-09, retrieved 2014-03-09
  11. ^ "Maths Inspiration show", Millennium Mathematics Project, University of Cambridge, 2013-12-21
  12. ^ QED 2014 speakers, Lanyrd, 2014
  13. ^ Who is speaking at QED?, North West Skeptical Events Ltd, 2013, archived from the original on 2014-08-07, retrieved 2014-03-09
  14. ^ "Today - Tuesday 26 March". BBC Radio 4. 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  15. ^ Harford, Tim (2013). "MoreOrLess: Are Man Utd a one-man team? 28 April 2013". More or Less. 2014. BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 2014-01-26.